No. 18 Arkansas Set For Two SEC Matches

Live Stats vs. LSU | Live Stats vs. No. 17 Texas A&M

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Riding a seven-match win streak, No. 18 Arkansas welcomes LSU and No. 17 Texas A&M to George M. Billingsley Tennis Center this weekend.

The Razorbacks (10-2, 1-0 SEC) will play LSU (8-3, 1-1 SEC) at 6 p.m. on Friday before they take on No. 17 Texas A&M (8-5, 0-2 SEC) in a top-20 showdown at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

Promotions
Complimentary Keurig coffee, pizza, popcorn and Pepsi products will be provided at each match. The first 100 fans at Friday’s match will receive a free Razorback Tennis visor. Children in attendance at Sunday’s match will receive a free Junior Razorback T-shirt while supplies last.

Quotable
“What a great weekend of SEC competition here in Fayetteville,” head coach Michael Hegarty said. “All three teams are having great seasons, and we expect plenty of growth throughout both matches.”

Five Key Storylines
• Behind a three-set win from senior co-captain Shannon Hudson, the Razorbacks opened SEC play with a 4-3 victory against Missouri last Friday at home. With the team score tied 3-3, Hudson cruised to a 6-1 victory in a third set at No. 1 singles to take the match, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-1, and clinch the team victory.

• Arkansas checked in at No. 18 in the latest edition of the Oracle/ITA Collegiate Tennis National Team Rankings released Tuesday. It’s the second straight week the Razorbacks have been featured inside the top 20. Hudson and sophomore Ana Oparenovic each earned spots in the singles rankings. Hudson landed at No. 64, while Oparenovic came in at No. 118.

• LSU owns a 21-17 advantage in the all-time series, but Arkansas has won seven of the last 10 regular-season meetings. The Tigers earned a 5-2 win last season in Baton Rouge. The Razorbacks scored a 4-3 victory against the then-No. 17 Aggies in College Station a year ago for their first win against Texas A&M since it joined the SEC in 2013. The Aggies have won 12 of 20 meetings against the Razorbacks.

• The Razorbacks have been dominant in doubles this season, winning the doubles point in 10 of 12 matches, including each of the last seven. Arkansas is led by Hudson and freshman Giulia Pairone, who are 6-0 as a tandem. The duo of freshman Natsuho Arakawa and junior Léolia Jeanjean has also been solid, turning in a 4-1 record.

• Arkansas’ singles lineup features three players with eight or more dual-match wins. Jeanjean is tops with a 9-1 mark, while Hudson and Arakawa are both 8-2. All of Hudson’s victories have come at the No. 1 spot.

Up Next
Following the weekend, Arkansas will head to Mississippi to face No. 23 Ole Miss at 1 p.m. on March 17 in Oxford and Mississippi State at 1 p.m. on March 19 in Starkville.