April 12, 2018
AUBURN, Ala. - The Auburn Tigers conclude the men's tennis regular season on the road this weekend with a pair of SEC matches, visiting LSU Friday for a 4 p.m. CT match at the LSU Tennis Complex in Baton Rouge, and facing No. 5 Texas A&M Sunday at noon CT at the Mitchell Tennis Center in College Station.
"LSU will be a tough one, because it's hot and humid and their fans will be into it. It's a hostile environment, but our guys like that energy," Auburn coach Bobby Reynolds said. "As a team, they're a lot like us and have played a lot of other SEC teams close, so it will be a fight.
"Texas A&M is leading the SEC and from one to six, they're one of the strongest teams I've seen in the country. It's an opportunity for our guys to go in there and play, and an opportunity for our guys to see what it takes to be at the top of the SEC.
"Our guys have worked so hard - they've doubled their work in the last few weeks because they want it so much and they see the progress we're making. Now that we have that SEC win, there's a sense of relief and new energy around the team this week."
The Tigers are now 12-15 overall and 1-9 in SEC play; freshman Matteo De Vincentis is ranked No. 86 in singles nationally. LSU has posted an 8-14 overall record and a 1-9 mark in SEC action; Shane Monroe is LSU's highest ranked player in singles at No. 91.
No. 5 Texas A&M is 18-4 this season and 10-0 in SEC play. The Aggies have five players nationally ranked in singles: Patrick Kypson (6), Arthur Rinderknech (10), Jordi Arconada (41), Valentin Vacherot (52) and Juan Carlos Aguilar (105), as well as three ranked doubles teams.
Auburn will play in the SEC men's tennis championships April 25-28 at Alabama.