Hogs Split Doubleheader to Conclude Road Trip

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Arkansas men’s tennis team (10-3) split its road doubleheader on Sunday, falling 4-2 to MTSU (4-6) in Murfreesboro before rebounding with a 4-0 win over Tennessee State (0-1) in Nashville.

The Blue Raiders obtained the early advantage in the first match with a victory on court three as Halfinger/Matsuoka defeated Benni Emesz and Marino Jakic, 6-2. MTSU claimed the doubles point after a 6-2 win from No. 70 Al-Amin/Horak over Connor Smillie and Jakub Vrba in the top spot. Božo Barun and Lukas Palovic’s match went unfinished at the No. 3 position with the Razorback duo leading 5-4.

The Hogs struck first in singles play as Emesz took down Matsuoka in straight sets on court five, while the Blue Raiders answered with a 6-4, 7-5 victory from Szymkowiak against Jakic on court two. Arkansas evened the match again after Palovic came back from dropping the first set to secure the next two en route to a 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 win over Kroslak at the No. 3 position.

MTSU regained the lead following a 7-6 (5), 1-6, 7-5 victory from Al-Amin against Barun at the top spot. The Blue Raiders clinched the match on court six as Halfinger climbed back to defeat Arthur Bellegy, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3. At the No. 4 position, Vrba fell in the set set 4-6 before fighting back to take the second-set tiebreak 7-6 (4) and held a 2-1 lead in the final set as his match went unfinished.

The Razorbacks responded by earning the doubles point in the second match versus Tennessee State. Dziopak/Germinal teamed up to collect a 6-3 victory for the Tigers over Jean-Baptiste Badon and Brendan Boland on court two, while the Hogs answered with a 6-3 victory from Bellegy and Emesz against N. Adamec/Mutetwa at the No. 3 position. The doubles point came down to court one as Jakic and Smillie clinched the point with a narrow 7-6 (6) win over Hibbert/Loubser.

In singles play, Arkansas continued to roll by grabbing the first set on five courts. At the No. 4 position, Badon defeated Germinal 6-1, 6-2 for his second victory this spring, while Boland improved to 2-0 this dual season after taking down A. Adamec in straight sets on court six. The Razorbacks sealed the win at the No. 2 position as Palovic again overcame a first-set defeat to obtain his team-leading eighth singles victory this spring, besting Hibbert 4-6, 7-5, 6-1.

Bellegy and Smillie cruised to first-set wins on courts three and five, respectively, before their matches went unfinished in the second set. Barun split the first two sets against Dziopak and trailed 3-4 in the final set as the match concluded.

Arkansas returns to action at Billingsley Tennis Center on Saturday, Feb. 22 for its SEC home opener against Ole Miss at 12 p.m. before traveling to Norman, Okla. to face No. 12 Oklahoma on Monday, Feb. 24 at 1 p.m.