Net News - February 18
2/18/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Roll Tide Bama Tennis Fans,
Hope it's been a good Valentine's week for everyone as our guys are coming off their only free weekend of the season. For most, however, it has been a tough road as many battled the flu, including myself, Ryler and Stuart. Nikko was the first to go down last week and it quickly spread throughout the team and my household. So the timing couldn't have been better, not necessarily for being Cupid, but rather for recovery and sleep. Each day this week we've added bodies to practice as they've been cleared to train. We began with four and today had our first full squad of ten guys and three coaches. So let's keep riding this wave of better health!
Speaking of waves, the Crimson Tide will travel north to Ann Arbor this weekend to face former Pepperdine 'Wave' and Alabama tennis coach, Adam Steinberg. 'Steiny' as he has been called over the years is now leading the Michigan Wolverine program. He's done an outstanding job in his rookie campaign as Big Blue is off to a 5-2 start with notable victories over ranked opponents Duke, Cornell and Princeton. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. EST (5 p.m. Bama time) on Saturday.
Prior to President's Day, Alabama competed in its final indoor homestand against No. 5 Oklahoma, Troy and Lipscomb. The energy was abuzz against the Sooners as the two teams were at each other's throats for the doubles point and the home crowd was treated to some quality tennis. Let's not forget the level of cheering that they provided for us too. Incredible. Bama jumped ahead in the dual match 1-0 as freshmen Spencer Richey and partner Matthew Rossouw were the first to claim victory. Moments later senior captain Becker O'Shaughnessey and Grayson Goldin sealed the doubles point for the Tide with a resounding win on court No. 2. The stage was set for an entertaining evening which continued to unveil impressive shot making, determined game plans and several opportunities for the home team to keep our visitors from Norman on the ropes. A few set points slipped through the cracks and the momentum started to shift to the two-time National Runners-Up. The Tide continued to fight as both Danny Kerznerman and Mazen Osama saw their battles reach three sets. In the end, however, the spirit was there but not as many points to put Alabama on top. Osama defeated 2015 Player of the Year, Axel Alvarez, 7-6 (7) in the third and a fun evening came to a close with plenty of great experience and growth to take into Sunday's doubleheader.
The first half of the twin bill featured the Troy Trojans who are a scary bunch. The 2015 Sun Belt champions are full of very talented players from many different parts of the world - Brazil, England, Argentina, Hong Kong, Sweden, Spain, Burundi, Lebanon, Czech Republic and Paraguay. They arrived at the Capstone determined, and they certainly pushed us the distance. I thought the physical and emotional impact of Friday's match would factor in our ability to stay focused, energized and confident. After jumping out to an early 1-0 lead following the doubles point, Alabama had four first sets go to tiebreakers, with the Tide capturing three which proved pivotal. Grayson Goldin clinched the win with a pair of solid tiebreak sets and Nikko Madregallejo got on the board this season with almost exact results. Match Bama!
Now onto the nightcap, and we welcomed a new opponent to the Roberta Alison Baumgardner Tennis Facility in the Lipscomb Bisons. Our opponents brought a ton of energy to the doubles point with all sets recording a 6-4 score. Thankfully we were on the winning end of two of those 6-4 sets and jumped out to an early 1-0 lead. Grayson completed his tiebreaker weekend by winning a 6-7, 7-6, 10-5 match giving him 6 sets total that went the distance. Korey Lovett brought power and a lot of it giving up just two games in his win while Matthew Rossouw and Spencer Richey delivered straight set wins as well. Danny Kerznerman came back from a 1-4 second set deficit and put a point on the board for the home team while Langford Hills' singles debut was a good one as he used powerful first serves and his quickness to claim victory. Match Bama!
So a good weekend in all, and we're now on the road the next few weeks. Following Michigan we will start outdoor play at the Blue Gray National Tennis Classic in Montgomery before opening the SEC season at South Carolina and Georgia. We will return home the weekend of March 11/13 and host Tennessee and Kentucky. So mark your calendars and don't go anywhere for Spring Break until you catch us against the Vols and Wildcats. Congrats to Korey on repeating as this week's black shirt award winner.
Roll Tide, George
