The MSU men’s and women’s tennis teams will open their seasons this weekend with a three-day road series.Men
This weekend, the MSU men’s tennis team will compete at the Blue Raider Invitational at Middle Tennessee State in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Head coach Per Nilsson said the tournament will help give him an idea of what his team needs to work on for the rest of the season.
“This tournament will be a great chance for the team to show what they are made of,” Nilsson said.
Seniors Ivan Bjelica and Philippe Frayssinoux return as veteran performers for the men’s team. Nilsson said he expects them to both have a strong season.
Nilsson said he believes the seniors will play their absolute best because this will be their last year to flaunt their skills.
Nilsson said the team’s goal for the season is to compete in the Sweet 16 at the NCAA Tournament.
Fall matches will help the players prepare for the competition they will face in the spring, Nilsson said.
“The fall games are very important because they get the players ready for victories in the dual matches this spring,” Coach Nilsson said.
Women
This weekend, the MSU women’s tennis team will compete at the Ole Miss Tournament, in Oxford.
Women’s tennis head coach Tracy Lane said the tournament will help her players to find out their strengths and weaknesses going into the rest of the season.
“This tournament will help the players to better understand where they are in the team and what they need to do to strengthen and progress,” Lane said.
There are six returning players on the team: Martina Banikova, Elna de Villiers, Tatiana Feit, Renee Joseph, Daniela Juskova, Valeriya Makarycheva and DeAndra Saddler.
Radka Ferancova is the lone newcomer on the team.
This season marks Lane’s twelfth season as head coach.
She has guided the team to four NCAA appearances and one SEC Western Division Championship in 2005.
The same year, Lane claimed her 70th career win.