Sunday marks LSU men’s tennis’ last SEC matchup before post-season begins. But for one senior, it truly just meant more

Senior Julien Penzlin started the match against Auburn off strong alongside doubles partner Alessio Vasquez. The pair showed up and showed out against Auburn’s Joey Phillips and Alexander Frusina by dominating the match in a 6-3 finish.

“It was a special moment for me. I told him [Vasquez] at the beginning he had to take me under his wing because I was a little bit emotional,” Penzlin said.

 “I knew we were from the same country and it would probably be one of the last times we played together here in college. I was actually, at the beginning, really excited. And then the win at the end was like . . . the best thing that could happen to me.”

And the joy Penzlin gets from being a part of this team is nothing but mutual. Head Coach Danny Bryan speaks on what he believes Penzlin brings to the table. 

“He represents LSU on and off the court in such a great way,” Bryan said. “He’s a great person, he’s a great human. He’s so passionate about LSU and his team.”

And as the team says their goodbyes to the senior, they’re not without emotion and reflection on his impact.

“He’s gonna be a huge loss for us and our team, but we’re very thankful for his time here.”

But even though Penzlin is closing his chapter at LSU, he doesn’t plan on putting a halt on his tennis career just yet.

“The plan is to go pro and see how it goes there, but I will be forever an LSU Tiger,” Penzlin said.

Whether he’s making plays on the court or lending a hand off of it, it’s clear Penzlin has become a standout figure for this team.