Hogs ready for ITA Kick-Off

Oxford, Miss. — After consecutive home matches, the University of Arkansas men’s tennis team will hit the road for the ITA Kick-off Weekend tournament in Oxford, Miss., to be held on Saturday and Sunday at the Gillom Sports Center. The nationwide event highlights the top 60 men’s programs in the country facing off at various campus sites. Arkansas will join highly touted schools, including Indiana, Mississippi and Columbia
Arkansas is prepared to hit the courts hard against the No. 10 Ole Miss Rebels on Saturday in the first round of play. Mississippi is coming off a solid 4-3 win over Mississippi State last weekend at the River Hills Tennis Club in Jackson, Miss. Rebel Chris Theimann made the final statement of the match with his victory over the Bulldog’s Daniel Sanchez 6-2, 6-4 at No. 6 singles.
The Razorbacks will feature eight student-athletes in action, seniors Taylor King, Dmitry Lebedev, Bradwin Williams; juniors Chris Nott, Matt Hogan; sophomore Matt Walters, Nikolas Zogaj; and freshmen Gregoire Lehmann.
The Hogs prove to be strong in doubles action, with the dynamic partnering of Nott and Lebedev, who have gone 1-1 at the No. 1 position. Highlighting the season early was the duo’s upset over Martin Kildahl and Derek Drabble of Washington, 9-7. Hogan and Walters add much depth to the line-up, with an undeniable pressure that makes it hard for their opponents to defeat.
First serve for the Razorbacks will be Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Gillom Sports Center. Following the match will be Columbia and Indiana at 2 p.m. The winners of each match will face off at 2 p.m. on Sunday to earn a spot in the ITA National Team Indoor Final 16 in Charlottesville, Va., Feb. 12-15.