Jan. 13, 2006
NORMAL, Ill. -
The Illinois State men's tennis team will open its spring season this weekend with a doubleheader against Wright State at Evergreen Racquet Club. The Redbirds will play at 2 p.m. and again at 7 p.m.
After a 12-week hiatus from competition, the `Birds get a fresh look with home court advantage for the first time since last spring. The Raiders (0-1) are coming off a 7-0 loss at Ball State.
ISU head coach Greg Kennett hasn't finalized the lineup for Saturday, but Yohann Nograbat, Alban Renard and Djordje Uskokovic are candidates for the coveted No. 1 singles spot.
"Yohann is playing very well and will play in one of the top spots along with Djordje," Kennett said. "Nuno (Jacinto) is playing really well too. We have a lot of guys playing well and the decision will be tough."
Freshmen Nuno Jacinto and Daniel Tobar, who joined the team just days ago, will be making their debut as Redbirds this weekend.
The match against Wright State will serve as preparation for the Region V National Indoor Tournament at Tulsa on January 21 and 22. It is the first time the team has been invited to compete in the regional tournament.
Kennett hopes to use Saturday's matches to make adjustments before heading to Oklahoma.
"We want to use this doubleheader to look at different doubles combinations," said Kennett. "We have to find out who is on top because we have a lot of options with two new players on the squad.
"This will be a good match for our guys to learn how to handle pressure," said Kennett. "This match means a lot to us, and it's nice to get some good competition in before next weekend."
