Alabama Begins Play at Blue Gray Tennis Classic Thursday
3/15/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
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| Billy Pate |
The Alabama men's tennis team will begin play at the Blue Gray Tennis Classic in Montgomery Thursday morning. The Crimson Tide will take on Tulsa (9-4) in the first round at 9:30 a.m. at the Lagoon Park Tennis Center.
Alabama (4-6, 1-3 SEC) is one of 18 teams participating in the Blue Gray Tennis Classic, which dates back to 1949. Should the Tide win Thursday it would play either top-seeded Louisville or SEC-rival Mississippi State in the second round. Win or lose, the Tide is guaranteed to play three matches at the event.
Head coach Billy Pate's squad will be making its first appearance at the Blue Gray since the 2004 season and will be seeking its second championship. Alabama won the Blue Gray title in 1989. Clinton Ferreira was named tournament MVP that season.
Wednesday night, former Alabama great and Australian Open Champion Ellis Ferreira will speak to all participants as the key note speaker at the tournament's welcome banquet. Saturday he will be an instructor at the Coaches and Players Clinic.
Complete draws, results and other information on the Blue Gray Tennis Classic are available at www.bluegraytennis.com.
