Net News, Volume 2
1/23/2025 5:29:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Hello Bama Tennis Fans,
We're at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth airport waiting to board our flight to the ITA Kickoff - a qualifying team event for the ITA National Indoor Championships held in February. Hosted by the University of Virginia, this Kickoff regional consists of four teams competing for one qualifying spot. The fifth-ranked Cavaliers play against the 2024 Mountain West Conference champions, Boise State, on Saturday, while your 19th-ranked Crimson Tide faces the VCU Rams, now led by former Bama assistant coach Dimitar Kutrovsky. The winners of each match will compete in the regional championship on Sunday afternoon, with the losers squaring off earlier that morning in a consolation match. We're excited for the opportunity to lock our tusks and VCU's horns, especially after this team captured a ticket to last year's National Indoors by winning the Kickoff weekend at the Kentucky regional.
We opened our 2025 campaign last Saturday at home in the Roberta Alison Baumgardner indoor tennis facility (the R.A.B.). A standing-room-only crowd cheered on the Tide to an exciting and well-earned doubles point. Seniors Enzo Aguiard and Filip Planinsek saved multiple match points and executed one of their own in the deciding tiebreaker to give the home team an early 1-0 lead. The momentum carried through into the singles portion of the afternoon as four players – Filip, Roan Jones, Matias Ponce De Leon and Andrii Zimnokh – were victorious. Match Bama! Alabama 5, Georgia Tech 2.
The second match of the day featured perennial SWAC champion, Alabama State. Another good crowd was in the stands, munching away on the freshly popped popcorn provided by the Crimson Racket Club, as well as enthusiastically shaking their pom-poms in support of the crimson and white. The match was played "clinch-clinch" which meant once a team had recorded four points, the match would be stopped. We typically prefer to play out the match to give all players a chance at a result, however, our team had been battling a run of the flu in the our locker room as well as a couple of injuries among the players. Filip, Roan and Andrii were victorious again in leading Alabama to a doubleheader sweep. Match Bama! Alabama 4, Alabama State 0.
A few quick notes to fans attending our home matches. We have several items for you to participate in before finding your seats indoors or outdoors. These include:
- Play Ball! Do you best to guess the total number of balls filled in the large container. Fan that is the closest to the number wins a Bama Tennis prize. The winner is announced at the conclusion of doubles.
- Make Your Mark. Capture your Bama Tennis experience with a Polaroid pic with your cheering partner or a selfie in front of the BAMA letters. Place the pic on the Make Your Mark board and add to it each time you come to watch Bama Tennis.
- Serve It Up Serving Contest. One fan will serve three times at large tennis ball mats on the court. Hit a mat and win a Bama Tennis prize.
The Crimson Racket Club (CRC) is the official booster club for Alabama Tennis. The CRC offers a unique way for fans to get to know the teams, enjoy hospitality at home matches, receive invites to special team events and have a great time cheering on the Tide. Their invaluable support also helps fund specific projects for both teams that may include player lounge upgrades, customized grill for CRC cookouts or group trips to away matches. For those interested in joining the CRC, you can join online at CrimsonRacketClub.org. Each season members receive a special Alabama Tennis gift. This year a soft, comfy blanket good for staying warm at outdoor evening matches or simply lounging at home on your couch has been well received.
Last Saturday's crowd was one of the biggest I've seen indoors since I arrived 13 seasons ago. I'm grateful for the incredible support by our community each year and look forward to celebrating with new and returning fans this spring. If you ever have a question about our team or want to swing by practice, feel free to email me at ghusack@ia.ua.edu. Happy to get you more involved, and more importantly, get our guys a little more introduced to our "Dixie's Tennis Pride, Crimson Tide, Roll Tide, Roll Tide!"
See you at the courts!
Roll Tide,
Coach George
Players Mentioned
