No. 38 Arkansas Splits Road Doubleheader in Auburn

AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 38 Arkansas men’s tennis team (15-11, 3-8) split its road doubleheader on Saturday, falling 4-2 to No. 31 Auburn (16-7, 6-5) before rebounding with a 4-0 win over Alabama State (11-9) at Yarbrough Tennis Center.

The Tigers grabbed the early advantage in the opening match with victories on courts two and three to obtain the doubles point. No. 48 Connor Smillie and Jakub Vrba earned their fifth ranked win and first top-10 victory this season after a 6-3 win against No. 10 Blaydes/Nolan in the top spot. Auburn responded with Frusina/Phillips narrowly defeating Božo Barun/Benni Emesz 7-6 (6) at the No. 2 position, while Heng/Kennedy closed it out for the Tigers on court three after a tight 7-6 (7) victory over Brendan Boland and Marino Jakic to clinch the doubles point.

The Razorbacks regained control in singles play, securing the first set on five courts. However, Auburn struck first as Nolan took down Barun in straight sets in the top spot, while the Hogs answered with a 6-2, 6-1 win from No. 80 Lukas Palovic against No. 60 Frusina at the No. 2 position. With the victory, Palovic improves to 4-1 versus ranked opponents this spring. The Hogs tied the match following a 7-6 (2), 7-6 (5) win from Emesz over Phillips on court four.

The remaining three courts all went the distance as the Tigers regained the lead after a 4-6, 7-6 (1), 6-4 victory from Blaydes against Vrba at the No. 3 position. Auburn clinched the match on court six as Heng climbed back to defeat Arthur Bellegy in a third-set tiebreak, 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (3). Jakic’s match versus Nasridinov at the No. 5 position went unfinished with Jakic holding a 4-3 lead in the final set.

Arkansas reclaimed its momentum in the second match against Alabama State, earning the doubles point with wins on courts one and three. No. 48 Smillie and Vrba grabbed their second victory of the day after a 6-4 win over Amier/Verlaguet in the top spot, while Jean-Baptiste Badon and Bellegy brought home the doubles point with a dominant 6-2 victory against Mileusni/Obrul at the No. 3 position. Boland and Jakic’s match on court two went unfinished with the Razorback duo ahead 5-4.

In singles play, the Hogs continued to roll by taking the first set on five courts again. At the No. 5 position, Jean-Baptiste Badon collected his third win of the year after a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Mileusni, while Boland also picked up his third win of the dual season with a 6-2, 6-1 victory against Lataste on court six. Arkansas clinched the win at the No. 4 position as Smillie cruised to a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Amier to obtain his fourth singles win this spring.

No. 80 Palovic and Emesz each secured first-set tiebreak victories on courts two and three before their matches went unfinished. Barun fell in the first set 5-7 but led 3-2 in the second set as his match concluded at the top spot.

The Razorbacks return to Billingsley Tennis Center on Thursday, April 3 to host LSU at 5:30 p.m. for Senior Night.