Auburn men's tennis hosts three non-conference matches this week indoors at the Yarbrough Tennis Center in Auburn.
Wednesday, the 2-0 Tigers host Old Dominion (1-0) in a noon match; this contest was originally scheduled to be played in Norfolk last weekend, but winter weather moved it to Auburn. The Monarchs go on to play at Tennessee on Friday.
Saturday, Auburn entertains Indiana (2-0) at 3 p.m. and Sunday, the Tigers will host Wisconsin (2-0) in a 1 p.m. match.
"We had to think about playing three matches within five days, but ultimately, we came to the decision to flip-flop, with Old Dominion coming here this year, and we'll return the trip next year," Auburn head coach Bobby Reynolds said.
"It's a lot of matches for one week, but our guys are ready. We will have a lot of times during the spring season where you have to play that many matches in a short amount of time, like at Blue-Gray, where you're playing three matches within two days. Yes, it's going to be tough, but it's also nice to be able to do it here at Yarbrough.
"We've got to obviously be ready for Wednesday because that's our next match. But you also have to be ready for Indiana and Wisconsin lurking two days later, which are tough teams that will be ready to come in here on fresher legs to compete.
"I have a good sense of what we're going to put out there on Wednesday, that this is our singles lineup, this is our doubles lineup. If all holds true and the guys come back Thursday and Friday and feel healthy and ready to go again, we're most likely sticking with the same lineup, maybe changing up or down a couple spots if we see fit, maybe with a matchup -- but I want the guys to have the mindset of 'I'm going in there to play three matches' instead."
In the latest ITA national rankings, three Tigers are ranked in singles: Tyler Stice (47), Tad Maclean (56) and Jan Galka (59). Stice was an NCAA singles qualifier last season, and Maclean was runner-up at last fall's ITA Southern Regionals, advancing to the national fall championships. In doubles, NCAA doubles runners-up Maclean and Finn Murgett return and Stice and Galka are ranked No. 28.
Old Dominion has two ranked singles players – Francois Le Tallec (64) and Younes Lalami (91) – and the No. 29 doubles pairing in Luca Maldoner and Nicola Vidal.
Vanderbilt will also be in town this weekend; the Commodores will play Wisconsin Saturday at 11 a.m. and face Indiana Sunday at 9 a.m. indoors at the Yarbrough Tennis Center.
All Auburn home tennis action is at the Yarbrough Tennis Center (1717 Richland Road, Auburn) and admission is free. Auburn has a mask policy currently in effect campus-wide.
