AUBURN, Ala. – The Auburn men's tennis team heads to Tallahassee, Fla., for a Friday evening match with nationally ranked Florida State. Play will begin at 4:30 p.m. CT at the Scott Speicher Tennis Center and will be televised on ESPN3/ACC Network Extra, with Ariya Massoudi and Lauren Swertfager calling the action.
Auburn, 9-3 on the season, faces an 8-2 Seminole team that is 7-1 at home this season and is ranked No. 18 in the latest Tennis Channel/USTA College Tennis Top 25 and is No. 22 in the latest Oracle ITA national rankings.
For the Seminoles, Alex Knaff and Aziz Dougaz are ranked 44th nationally in doubles, and Chase Wood and Richard Thongoana are ranked 56th. Lucas Poullain is ranked No. 59 in singles.
"I like the fact we will be playing outdoors. I think as a team, we are better outdoors, especially on the courts like they have in Tallahassee. The weather is going to be nice and warm. Our guys like that and we've trained for it," Auburn head coach Bobby Reynolds said.
"We're playing a very good team. At 1-2-3, they've got two seniors and a junior. It's a great opportunity for our guys, because I believe our top three are about at the same level. And then it's going to be a dogfight at 4-5-6 – very similar games, grinding, long rallies, physical tennis.
"I think it's going to come down to the doubles point and then can we take three in singles? We might make some changes in doubles at different positions." Reynolds said sophomore Matteo DeVincentis, who missed the Minnesota match with an ankle injury, will be back in lineup at Florida State.
This will be Auburn's final tuneup before competing in the 71st Blue Gray National Tennis Classic February 22-23 at Lagoon Park in Montgomery, Ala.