AUBURN, Ala. – The Auburn men's tennis team hosts No. 21 Alabama Friday in a 3 p.m. SEC match at the Yarbrough Tennis Center. Fans will receive a reusable Auburn tennis water bottle, along with the Fan of the Match prize giveaway.
"Alabama has been highly ranked all season and has gotten good results at the top of the lineup," Auburn coach Bobby Reynolds said. "I know our guys will be fired up and I hope a lot of people will come out and support us in this rivalry.
"Our guys will be ready to go. They're coming to practice, working hard, taking post-match talks to heart and learning from them. The biggest thing is believing in themselves as tennis players and believing they're as good as their opponents. We're very young, and time will help them grow tennis-wise and in maturity, but we're definitely improving."
Alabama is the 11th ranked team the Tigers have faced this season. In the latest Oracle/ITA rankings, the Crimson Tide is No. 21 in the team ratings. Senior Mazen Osama is ranked No. 39 in singles; Osama and sophomore Patrick Kaukovalta pair up for the No. 15 doubles team nationally.
Auburn is now 12-12 overall and still seeking its first SEC win of the season. The Crimson Tide is 12-6 overall and 2-4 in SEC action.
All Auburn home tennis action is at the Yarbrough Tennis Center (771 Yarbrough Farms Blvd., Auburn) and admission is free.