AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn freshman Alex Frusina has been tabbed SEC Freshman of the Week, the conference announced on Wednesday. This marks the first weekly honor for a Tiger this season.
Frusina went undefeated in both singles and doubles over the weekend and had a flare for the dramatics in the Tigers’ 4-3 road victory against Middle Tennessee.
On Friday after he and doubles partner Joey Phillips won in doubles to help Auburn claim the pivotal doubles point, Frusina split sets with Jakub Kroslak on court two, which turned out to be the only match to reach a third set. After MTSU claimed a singles win to tie the score at three, all eyes were on the last remaining match that would decide the team result.
Frusina did not seem to feel the pressure of the MTSU crowd early in the final set, winning each of the first five games over Jakub Kroslak. Kroslak fought back with three consecutive games of his own, but the Auburn freshman ultimately pulled out the win 7-6 (4), 1-6, 6-3 and started a celebration after clinching the team victory.
In Sunday’s doubleheader against Tulsa and Alabama State, Frusina continued to see success with a doubles victory in each match to help Auburn claim the doubles point in both. Frusina stayed hot on the singles court as well by posting his sixth consecutive singles win to start the season on court two, defeating Luis Felipe Miguel 6-1, 6-2 to give Auburn a 2-0 advantage against Tulsa. Frusina cruised through the first set after winning each of the first five games, then an early break in the second set led Frusina to a 3-0 lead before ultimately winning the match in straight sets.
Frusina in the Tigers will be back in action on Feb. 16 in a doubleheader against FGCU on the road.