The No. 25-ranked LSU men’s tennis team will face Rice in the first match of a doubleheader this Sunday at the W.T. “Dub” Robinson Tennis Stadium.
It will be the Tigers’ first doubleheader of the season, facing a Rice side they have battled to a 3-1 record against in the past five years.
“They’re a strong team, it’s similar to a Southeastern Conference-level opponent,” said LSU coach Jeff Brown. “They’ve always played us tough so we know what to expect.”
The Owls’ feature senior is Jonathan Chang, who has a 3-1 record so far in the dual-match season and was selected to the All-Conference USA team last season.
LSU’s No. 1, senior Olivier Borsos, is an injury concern heading into the match because he was forced to stop and receive treatment for a persistent lower leg injury in last weekend’s match against South Florida.
“He was out for a couple of months in the fall, so he’s just trying to get back his match fitness,” Brown said. “There’s a big difference between being fit at practice and being fit for a match.”
As the Tigers’ first doubleheader of the year, many of the young Tigers who have yet to see game action are expected to make their debut.
The Tigers have a set system for performing at a high level during both matches of a doubleheader.
“The biggest thing is refueling and eating some food,” said LSU sophomore Chris Simpson. “You don’t want to be full on the court, but if you don’t eat, it’s really easy to cramp up.”
Brown said the team looks to get many players off their feet for as long as possible before they have to start the warmup for the next match.
The Prairie View A&M Panthers come into the match Sunday with a 0-2 record on the season. The Panthers are led by senior Ronald Chidzikwe, who hails from Mutare, Zimbabwe.
In the last two matches, LSU’s top seniors — Borsos and Stefan Szacinski — have dropped their matches, leaving the contest up to the players in the bottom half of the lineup.
By using their depth, the Tigers will attempt to ward off the injury bug heading into the biggest week of the season, taking on No. 27 Texas Tech and traveling to No. 4 Ohio State.
“You always want everyone to come out and [play] at a high level in every match,” Szacinski said. “But that’s not always possible so it’s nice to see some of the guys get wins at the bottom of the lineup.”
Who: No. 25 Tigers vs. Rice Owls
When: 11 a.m. Sunday
Where: W.T. “Dub” Robinson Stadium
Who: Tigers vs. Prairie View A&M
When: 3 p.m. Sunday
Where: W.T. “Dub” Robinson Stadium
