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SPORTS
| UPDATED JAN. 29
Men’s tennis
Mavs focus on doubles play against
TCU
Veteran players say they know
what it takes to beat a team with the Horned Frogs’ caliber.
By Dustin
Eberhart
The Shorthorn staff
After light rain canceled Saturday’s match, the men’s
tennis team will play today what coach Patric DuBois calls their
first match of the season.
The team will face Texas Christian University, the No. 34 team in
the nation. The match is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at the UTA Tennis
Center.
“It’s going to be a tough match,” DuBois said. “They
are a nationally-ranked team with their top three guys being ranked
in the top 100 in the United States.”
This week in practice, the team has worked on playing plenty of
points. “We’ve been working on point play to make sure
we are ready for match situations,” junior David Corrie said.
Coach DuBois said the team has worked on its singles game more to
improve match play but said doubles are where the match will be
won.
TCU’s Toni Gordon, ranked 48th nationally with a 5-4 singles
record, will lead the Horned Frog charge. Three of his four losses
have been to players ranked in the nation’s top 60. The Horned
Frogs’ Alex Menichini is ranked 85th in the nation, and Fabrizio
Sestini is ranked 104th.
“When you’re talking about tennis, you need several upsets
to win a team match in tennis,” DuBois said. “But also,
their team is really deep — about eight or nine guys can play
for them.”
Maverick junior Nathan McGregor said UTA’s seniors and others
who have been on the team for a few years know what to expect from
a team like TCU.
“We know what it takes to beat a team of this caliber, but
it is up to us [veterans] be the leaders,” he said.
Seniors Javier Carillo, Alon Goldshuv and juniors Corrie and McGregor
will lead UTA. Freshman standout Niels Buksik teamed with Corrie
over the weekend to win their No. 2 doubles match 8-3 against Saint
Louis University. Freshman Sandy Farquharson, who won No.1 doubles
with McGregor on Saturday, injured himself during that match, but
coach DuBois said he hopes he will be ready to play against TCU.
“We definitely have to focus on doubles points because they
are a big thing for us,” Corrie said. “They are so important
for us against TCU because if we do win, it will be close, and those
points will be crucial.”
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