March 13, 2014
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt’s No. 1 doubles team of Ryan Lipman and Gonzales Austinhave become the top team in the country this week after jumping up four spots to No. 1 in the most recent Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) doubles rankings.
The Commodore duo has posted a 19-3 record this year including nine wins over ranked opponents. So far, Lipman and Austin are 9-1 in dual play and 2-0 in the SEC. Together they have put up a career record of 25-6.
“AJ (Austin) and Ryan (Lipman) have had a great season so far,” said Vanderbilt head coach Ian Duvenhage. “We are excited for them and proud of the fact that they are the #1 ranked doubles team in the nation.”
Lipman and Austin are approaching the single season record for doubles wins. The twosome is just eight wins shy of breaking the record of 26 doubles wins by Eddie Coates and Bobby Reynolds, set in 2001.
The duo began the year ranked No. 13, and got as high as No. 2 before receiving their No. 1 ranking.
Five of their wins this season have come against top-25 teams. The duo most recently went unfinished against the former No. 1 team in the country in Junior Ore and Jackson Withrow. Two of their losses this season have come at the hands of top-5 teams.
Lipman and Austin will have a chance to reach the 20-win mark this weekend against Ole Miss (Fri) and Mississippi State (Sun).
