Myneni, Thibaudeau Earn Men's Tennis All-SEC Honors
4/30/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
April 30, 2009
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Junior Saketh Myneni was named to the All-SEC First Team, while senior Mathieu Thibaudeau was recognized on the Second Team for the second season in a row. Myneni is the first Crimson Tide player to earn First Team status since Maxim Belski in 2001.
"It's a great honor to have Saketh and Mathieu recognized as All-SEC," said head coach Billy Pate. "We compete in the toughest league in the nation, and if you're All-SEC you're likely to be a strong candidate for All-American. I'm proud of what Saketh and Mathieu have accomplished on the court this season and they have done it with great sportsmanship and class. They are also very strong students in the classroom and outstanding representatives of our university."
Myneni currently ranks 22nd in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association national singles standings and owns an overall dual-match record of 15-7. Throughout the season he has defeated 10 ranked opponents including three of the country's top 10 collegiate players. Just yesterday, Myneni was selected as one of 64 to compete in the NCAA Singles Championships. He is the first Tide player to make the singles draw since Joseph Jung in 2006.
Thibaudeau has enjoyed much success both in singles and doubles this season where the senior currently ranks 84th in singles and 23rd in doubles with senior partner Dan Buikema. Thibaudeau holds an overall dual-match record of 12-10 in singles and 16-9 in doubles. He has helped Alabama to win seven doubles points and has collected four wins over ranked opponents in singles. Thibaudeau and Buikema will also be competing in the NCAA Doubles Championships beginning May 20 in College Station, Texas.
The Tide begins team play in the NCAA Tournament Friday, May 8 when it hosts No. 59 Furman at 5:00 p.m. (CST) at the University of Alabama Tennis Stadium. Tickets are now available on RollTide.com and can be found by clicking here.
Players Mentioned
