Razorbacks Set For Busy Home Weekend

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark – Coming off a 4-3 win over Tulsa, a team that was receiving votes in the national team rankings, in the season opener this past weekend, the No. 19 Arkansas men’s tennis team prepares for a busy weekend at the Dills Indoor Tennis Center with three matches, beginning with SMU on Friday at 6 p.m.

“We are eager for the challenge of playing two high quality teams in SMU and Texas,” head coach Andy Jackson said. “We will have to play better to have success this weekend. SMU is a Top-30 team and Texas is a National Championship contender. We believe in playing high level of competition as a great way to prepare for the ITA National Team Indoor and the SEC schedule. We hope that fans will come out this weekend and support the Razorbacks.”

Mike Redlicki, the No. 3 player in the nation, and Jose Salazar, the No. 19 player in the nation, combined for a win at No. 1 doubles and then won in straight sets at No. 1 singles and No. 2 singles, respectively against Tulsa. Redlicki clinched the match for the Razorbacks with an ace down the line for the 6-3, 7-5 win over No. 46 Or-Ram Harel. Johan den Toom and Juan Marino also won in straight sets at No. 4 and No. 6 singles, respectively,

The win over Tulsa was the first under head coach Andy Jackson and also snapped a 10-match losing streak against the Hurricane, having last won in the series during the 2006 season. The Razorbacks now face a fellow American Athletic Conference foe in SMU, who is also receiving votes in the latest national team rankings.

SMU, after advancing to the Round of 16 at the NCAA Championship and finishing the season ranked No. 22 in the nation this past season, began the season with a 7-0 win over Abilene Christian and a 4-1 loss to No. 4 Texas, both at home. The Mustangs won the doubles point against the Longhorns, before dropping four singles matches.

Arkansas also hosts No. 4 Texas and Illinois State on Sunday, with the Texas match set for 1 p.m. and the Illinois State match set to follow one hour after the conclusion of the Texas match.

Texas, like SMU, advanced to the Round of 16 at the NCAA Championship and finished the season ranked No. 16 in the nation this past season. The Longhorns are off to a 3-0 start, including the 4-1 win at SMU, and have three nationally-ranked singles players and two nationally-ranked doubles teams.

In singles, Christian Sigsgaard is tied for sixth in the nation, followed by Yuya Ito at No. 36 and Harrison Scott at No. 47. In doubles, Ito and Scott are ranked No. 38 in the nation, while Rodrigo Banzer and Leonardo Telles are No. 44

Promotions This Weekend:

Friday, January 20th vs. SMU at 6 p.m.

• Enter to win two tickets to the men’s basketball game vs. LSU

• Razorback Tennis t-shirts to the first 50 fans

Sunday, January 22nd vs Texas at 1 p.m.

• Razorback Tennis t-shirts to the first 50 fans

• Enter to win two tickets to the men’s basketball game vs. Alabama

Sunday, January 22nd vs Illinois State (One hour after conclusion of Texas match)

• Punch Card Giveaway (Attend the match vs. Texas and receive a punch card. Bring the punch card to the match vs. Illinois State and win a Razorback Tennis prize pack)

For more information on Razorback men’s tennis, please follow @RazorbackMTEN on Twitter.