Tennis (M)

Top 5 Men's Tennis Moments Of 2016

June 20, 2016

In a 2016 season that saw the Arkansas men’s tennis team reemerge as a national contender, we are counting down the top five moments from throughout the year.

HONORABLE MENTION
• Micolani racks up 10 straight singles victories
• Redlicki grabs Southeastern Conference awards
• Wrapping up a 7-3 road record at Vanderbilt
• Razorbacks qualify for NCAA Championships
• Arkansas peaks at No. 12 in national rankings

5. DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS

With the team score tied 3-3 between No. 21 Arkansas and No. 19 Texas, the team match came down to one final set. David Herrerias pulled out the 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-2 victory over Julian Zoblinsky at the No. 6 spot to secure the 4-3 win. It was only the Razorbacks’ second win over the Longhorns since 1989.

4. RAZORBACKS ARE FOR REAL

Facing No. 10 Oklahoma on a Sunday afternoon, Arkansas got out to a 1-0 lead by winning the doubles point and never looked back, defeating the Sooners by a score of 5-2 and making a statement to the rest of the country. No. 82 Mike Redlicki defeated No. 63 Axel Alvarez Llamas 6-4, 7-6 (0) at the top singles spot, upending the 2015 ITA National College Player of the Year.

3. MUNOZ SEALS DEAL AT NCAA’S

In the first round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament, No. 19 Arkansas faced off against Wichita State in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and defeated the Shockers for the program’s first postseason victory since 2006. Santiago Munoz capped the 4-2 team win with a 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 thriller against Jocelyn Devilliers at the No. 3 position.

2. ARKANSAS REWRITES HISTORY

Only four days after upending No. 19 Texas, the No. 21 Razorbacks returned home to face Ole Miss at George M. Billingsley Tennis Center. Arkansas fought back after losing the doubles point with four singles victories to defeat the Rebels for the first time since 1988, by a score of 4-3. Santiago Munoz posted a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 win over Filip Kraljevic for the clinching point.

1. COMEBACK WIN STUNS AGGIES

After dropping the doubles point to No. 7 Texas A&M, the Razorbacks came back to take singles decisions from the No. 1-5 spots to defeat the Aggies by a score of 5-2. Jose Salazar earned the clinching point by defeating No. 34 Shane Vinsant 7-6 (5), 7-5 at the No. 2 spot. Coupled with a 5-2 win over LSU two days later, Arkansas jumped from No. 32 to No. 13 in the nation.

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

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