March 12, 2009
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Coming off its longest road trip of the season, Vanderbilt’s 39th-ranked men’s tennis team will return to the friendly confines of the Currey Tennis Center this weekend when No. 41 LSU and No. 53 Arkansas come to Music City for a pair of crucial league matches.
After opening SEC play last weekend, all three teams enter the second weekend of league play in pursuit of their first league win of the season. Vanderbilt (4-8, 0-2 SEC) will host LSU (4-4, 0-2 SEC) at 2 p.m. Friday and Arkansas (6-6, 0-2 SEC) at 1 p.m. Sunday.
All three of the teams enter the weekend riding losing streaks of two or more. Vanderbilt has lost six straight matches, five of which have come on the road, while LSU has dropped its last two and Arkansas its last four. The Commodores dropped matches at No. 15 South Carolina (5-2) and No. 8 Florida (5-2) last weekend. LSU and Arkansas were swept at home by No. 23 Alabama and No. 20 Auburn.
The Commodores lost at LSU last season, 6-1. The Tigers have been ranked as high as 14 this season. The only common opponent between the two schools is Tulsa, who defeated Vanderbilt (5-2) and LSU (5-2). LSU is led by senior Michael Venus, who is ranked No. 9 in singles. Venus also teams with Neal Skupski to form the 13th-ranked doubles tandem in the nation.
Last year, Vanderbilt split its two matches with Arkansas. The Commodores fell in Fayetteville, 4-3, during the regular season before rallying to top the Razorbacks, 4-3, in the first round of the SEC Tournament. The Razorbacks will play at Kentucky on Friday before traveling to Nashville. Arkansas is led by senior Blake Strode, who is ranked No. 15 in singles. Sophomore Matt Hogan is ranked 120th. Strode and Hogan also form the 60th-ranked doubles duo. Vanderbilt and Arkansas have shared three common opponents this season and each team is 0-3 in those matches. Both squads have lost to Auburn, Texas and Oklahoma State.
Individually, Vanderbilt’s top player of late has been sophomore Alex Zotov, who has won three straight matches in the No. 6 position and six of his last seven overall. The Commodores also have two doubles tandems that are currently ranked. Adam Baker and Alex Zotov are ranked No. 30, while Nick Cromydas and Bryant Salcedo are ranked. No. 58.
Admission to both matches is free.