The No. 24 ranked LSU men’s tennis team will take on its toughest competition so far this season Friday when Texas Tech Red Raiders come to Baton Rouge.
The Texas Tech game kicks off the toughest weekend of the season, as the Tigers will take on the Red Raiders then travel to No. 4 Ohio State for a doubleheader.
The weekend leads LSU into Southeastern Conference play where nine teams occupy the top 25, including the Tigers.
“This match is the start of the meat of the season,” said LSU coach Jeff Brown said. “We have an increase in match frequency and in our level of competition. Texas Tech is very similar to us in ranking and personnel and it will be an intense match.”
While the Red Raiders started 3-0, they have dropped three straight matches, all coming against ranked opponents.
The Tigers’ stalwart this season has been sophomore Chris Simpson. Simpson, playing in the No. 2 slot, anchors the Tigers’ doubles attack with his partner senior Stefan Szacinski.
The duo is 4-1 on the season and is ranked just outside the top 25.
Simpson has also been in winning form in singles competition, proving to be the Tigers’ most consistent top performer on the season with senior Olivier Borsos struggling to regain form after a lower leg injury in the fall.
Simpson has won his past two matches in straight sets, and has cut down on his unforced errors in both matches.
The LSU women’s tennis will compete in its second double header of the season this weekend, taking on in-state opponents Nicholls State and Grambling.
The Lady Tigers are looking to get back into winning form after a shutout defeat at the hands of Rice Wednesday afternoon.
“We were really competitive on certain courts, which wasn’t necessarily reflected in the score,” said LSU coach Julia Sell. “Some players played exceptionally well, but just couldn’t get over the hump.”
Sell said the Tigers are working on improving the mental side of the game this week heading into SEC play.
“Every player needs to work on specific things,” Sell said. “All the little stuff that we’ve been doing wrong in the past few matches is what we are trying to correct.”
The Lady Tigers will use the doubleheader this weekend to gear up for SEC play, which starts next weekend with No. 17 Vanderbilt and Kentucky.
“This match is the start of the meat of the season. We have an increase in match frequency and in our level of competition. Texas Tech is very similar to us in ranking and personnel and it will be an intense match.”
