The LSU women’s tennis team notched wins in two states this weekend, and the men’s team added a win in the team’s home opener to complete a weekend sweep for LSU tennis.The No. 25 women’s team pulled out a 4-3 win at No. 27 Texas A&M on Sunday after dominating No. 73 Southern Methodist University in Baton Rouge on Friday.”I think [the traveling] was fine, we’re kind of used to doing that,” said LSU women’s tennis coach Tony Minnis. “We do that every week in the SEC, so I don’t think it wasn’t that big a deal.”Both the men’s and women’s tennis teams had their home openers this weekend at “Dub” Robinson Stadium, as the No. 16 ranked LSU men’s team also defeated No. 27 Rice on Saturday, 4-3.The women’s team swept SMU in doubles play and went 5-1 in singles play.     In women’s singles competition, LSU’s No. 5 ranked Megan Falcon won both her matches, improving her season record to 17-4.”It was a very good win,” Minnis said. “I was really impressed with our team and our very hard-fought victory.”The men’s team swept in doubles against Rice while splitting the singles matches, 3-3.”We need everyone to play that well to win,” said LSU men’s coach Jeff Brown. “That’s a good team. They’ll be top 20 by the end of this summer.”In doubles, the duo of Michael Venus and Neal Skupski defeated Rice’s Tobias Schiel and Christoph Muller, 8-5.Venus and Skupski improved their doubles record to 3-0. Venus was formerly teamed up with James Cluskey.”In doubles we got victories all the way around,” Brown said. “It ultimately took Neal [Skupsi], Julian [Gauthier] and Sebastian [Carlsson] — two sophomores and a freshman — to come through for us.”Carlsson took the first victory for the Tigers in men’s singles play dominating No. 61 Sam Garforth-Bles (6-0, 7-6) in straight sets.Rice’s Rosa proved why he is ranked No. 26 in the nation after a convincing victory versus Cluskey (6-1, 6-1). LSU sophomore Julian Gauthier gave the Tigers the lead, and freshman Neal Skupski sealed the win.LSU’s No. 2 ranked Michael Venus lost a back-and-forth match against Rice’s Christoph Muller. Venus and Muller split the first two sets. But the third set ended up being the turning point, as Venus lost his composure and slammed his racket into the court after Muller began to take the advantage. Muller won the final set, 6-1.”He was just frustrated going in,” Brown said. “He knew it was going to be a tough match.”But Venus’ loss was irrelevant, as LSU had already sealed the victory against Rice shortly after Venus’ third set began.”There’s just a rule that you have to play once the third set starts,” Brown said. “Sometimes depending on the situation, people are able to stop. He wanted to stop, but he would have to default anyway. He was just frustrated. We reiterated the rule to him, and he understands. He’s glad the team won ultimately.”The LSU men’s team will next match up against No. 1 Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio, on Feb. 22.The women will host Florida State and Southern at Robinson Stadium the same day.
 
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