Net News, Volume 6
1/22/2022 8:46:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Roll Tide from chilly Tuscaloosa
The dress rehearsal  finished and the main event began last Saturday as the 2022 campaign opened with an afternoon/evening double feature. The Bears (Mercer) and Bulldogs (Samford) were on the program against the Crimson Tide. An updated song list played, new posters and programs were available for fans to pick up on the way to their seats as well as Bama Tennis coozies and a little 'sweet' giveaway in the form of Krispy Kreme donuts. Our officials had their pencils and scorecards ready to be marked up, athletic trainer Katie Wheeler and her staff had the training room set up and prepared the guys for a long day, the Crimson Racket Club room was stocked with snacks and refreshments, and our relatively 'new kids on the block' anxiously awaited for the opportunity to begin their dual-match season. Alan Cunningham, the voice of Alabama men's tennis, had his list of nicknames ready to go for introductions, which included a pair of returning monikers in Patrick "The Flying Finn" Kaukovalta and Rudi "Speedy Gonzalez" Christiansen, as well as a fresh list of new ones like Filip "The King" Planinsek, Juan "El Gaucho" Martin, German "Akula" Samofalov, Enzo "The Bull Shark" Aguiard, Joao "Sertanejo Man" Ferreira and Zach "Sunshine" Foster. Dr. Gary Cramer, a player favorite faculty member at UA and life coach for the athletic department since 2003, successfully struck the honorary first serve and it was time for lights, cameras and action.
Until the 18th century, most theater plays or shows were divided into five acts. An act is typically defined by rising action, climax and resolution. Our opening day matches had two basic acts with doubles to start and singles to finish. Whether it was to be a comedy, tragedy, tragicomedy or melodrama remained to be seen but we knew that both Mercer and Samford were just as excited to compete as we were inside our home away from home - the R.A.B. (Roberta Alison Baumgardner Indoor Tennis Facility). Strong serves and solid returns set up aggressive net movement which allowed us to capitalize on opportunities and finish points in a manner that was consistent with our practices during the week. Add in clear communication between partners, coupled with a willingness to accept and face the fast and furious pace of doubles, and the 'first acts' in these 'plays' produced some well executed points. The King/El Gaucho (Filip Planinsek/Juan Martin) and the Bull Shark/Sertanejo Man (Enzo Aguiard/Joao Ferreira) recorded wins against both Mercer and Samford which put the Tide up 1-0 heading into the singles acts.
German "Akula" Samofalov and Zach "Sunshine" Foster both returned to the court after having limited competitive opportunities during the fall semester due to illness and injury. They both got their first taste of playing in front of the Tide faithful and responded well to the challenges presented in their matches. Rudi "Speedy Gonzalez" Christiansen was also back on the court after a nagging injury impacted his inaugural spring season in 2021. He moved with quickness and aggression, hitting balls on the rise a la Andre Agassi and also showcased a much improved and effective serve that rewarded him with plenty of first ball opportunities. Our Flying Finn, Patrick Kaukovalta, teamed up with German in our first series of doubles in his return to court after sustaining an injury late in the fall semester. Enzo and Filip had ear-to-ear smiles as their journey to opening day began last June when they were the first to arrive on campus. Their Aussie-Slovenian friendship began while suffering together in the treacherous humid heat of summer and extended through the December break as Enzo traveled to Filip's home for the holidays. Following a few weeks together where they visited Filip's family as well as Enzo's cousins in Slovakia, both players returned refreshed and locked in from the start of the spring semester. They competed very well and successfully executed time and time again throughout the day and night. Big serves and forehands were featured on their courts as well as several finishing points at the net with put away volleys and overhead smashes. The new kids on the block, aka The Great 8, had arrived and they all represented Alabama with tremendous character, class, pluck n' grit and vigor.Â
Mercer battled from the beginning until the end which certainly impacted our fuel tanks for the nightcap. We had some time to refuel, rehydrate and recover prior to the Samford match, however, I knew the Bulldogs would be ready to go…and that they were. They fought fearlessly from the first serve in doubles and kept their spirited efforts flowing in the singles portion. They stole four of six first sets which pushed us into uncomfortable and tense situations. Our players' response to the upset-minded Bulldogs, however, was impressively calm and focused. They played each point 'one at a time' and followed the classic guideline of any tennis related sport psychology book. It was nice to see how this young bunch would handle pressure early in the season while the college tennis vets, Juan Martin and Patrick Kaukovalta, cheered for their teammates to stay the course. As the clock passed the 8:30 p.m. mark, the Crimson Tide had clinched a pair of victories and were ready for a post-match meal, recovery and rest. A solid showing on day one of the 2022 season with plenty more acts to follow.
This Saturday, we had planned on hosting Oklahoma State at the R.A.B. as they were scheduled to play at Ole Miss on Friday and then venture over to Tuscaloosa. A mid-week phone call, however, canceled that plan due to the impact of the Omicron variant on the Cowboys' roster. So, as Bryce Young would shout out an audible when he got set at the line of scrimmage, we did the same and added a road trip to our schedule. We decided to travel to Oxford, Miss., for a non-conference SEC match against the Rebels on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. The coaches felt it was an ideal challenge for our team to prepare for the ITA Kickoff in Starkville, Miss., which follows a week from this weekend and it presents another opportunity to continue the tradition of Alabama-Ole Miss battles. We've had a plethora of knock'em down, drag'em out matches with the Rebels over the past nine seasons, so I'm really excited to add another one to the history books.
Oxford is just under a 3-hour drive from Tuscaloosa so we welcome all Bama Tennis fans to join us at the newly constructed William F. Galtney Indoor Tennis Center. Live stats and video streaming are available if you can't make the trip at www.RollTide.com but know that we'd love to see some crimson and white in the stands.Â
See you in Oxford…
Roll Tide,
George
Players Mentioned
