Hog Tennis Team Plays Host to Missouri State & Texas in Dual Matches this Weekend

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas tennis team looks to run its season-opening winning streak to six when the Razorbacks play host to Missouri State Friday at 6 p.m. in the Dills Indoor Tennis Center.

The No. 45 Razorbacks are 5-0 after winning the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Central Region V Tournament with 4-0 wins over Wichita State, No. 46 Tulsa and No. 42 Oklahoma, and sweeping a doubleheader from Oral Roberts, 7-0 and 6-0.

After facing the Bears on Friday, Arkansas plays host to No. 20 Texas on Sunday at 1 p.m. in the Dills Indoor Tennis Center.

Head coach Robert Cox’s club has not lost an individual match in dual match play this spring. Seniors Matt Roberts, Adrians Zguns and Rohan Gajjar, sophomores Michael Jung and Colin Mascall, and freshman Blake Strode are all 3-0.

For the season, Jung paces the Razorbacks with a 17-2 mark, followed by Strode at 11-2, and Zguns and sophomore Jimmy Khougassian at 11-3.

Arkansas’ lineup is anchored by seniors Roberts, Zguns and Gajjar, who all play somewhere in the top three. Roberts is ranked No. 24 in the nation in the most recent individual rankings while Gajjar, at 8-3, is No. 100. Strode had a huge fall season and is ranked No. 19 in the nation.

The rest of UA’s lineup likely features Strode, Jung and Mascall with Khougassian and freshman Austin King, 8-3, also possibilities.

“This will be a good match,” Cox says. “Missouri State has some dangerous talent. We have to be ready to compete.”

The Bears are playing their first dual match of the year. MSU was 12-8 last year, won the Missouri Valley Conference tournament title and earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Missouri State is led by senior Rodrigo Borges, who advanced to the Missouri Valley Conference men’s individual tennis championships last month.

In doubles, Arkansas is led by the teams of Gajjar and Roberts (7-0), and Strode and King (5-1).