Jan. 30, 2015
THE FLATS – Looking to continue building momentum in the non-conference season, Georgia Tech is home again this weekend to host a pair of matches Saturday against East Tennessee State and The Citadel at the Ken Byers Tennis Complex.
MATCH INFORMATION – Admission is free to the both matches, which are sandwiched around a 2 p.m. Tech women’s match against South Florida. Due to Tech’s men’s basketball game at 12 noon Saturday, fans wishing to attend the ETSU match (10:30 a.m.) or the women’s match will need to pay for parking near the tennis center, either in the State Street Deck, Klaus Building or Upper Peters. For the match against The Citadel at 5:30 p.m., parking will be available for free on Fowler Street, Eighth Street or the McCamish Pavilion lot.
TEAM UPDATE – Georgia Tech is 3-0 following a 6-1 win over Furman last Saturday at the Byers Tennis Complex, and moved back into the ITA rankings this week at No. 72. The Yellow Jackets have lost just two points in three matches so far. East Tennessee comes in with a 1-4 record, with three losses to ranked opponents and a win over Wisconsin. The Citadel also is 1-4, with a win over Spartanburg Methodist, and visits Georgia Gwinnett College for a 10 a.m. match Saturday before visiting Tech.
SINGLES UPDATE – Senior Eduardo Segura continues to play the best tennis of his career, with a 17-6 overall record and a 2-1 mark in dual matches this year at the No. 3 position. Sophomores Carlos Benito and Cole Fiegel, as well as freshman Christopher Eubanks and Michael Kay, are all undefeated in dual matches (3-0 each). Eubanks has played all his matches at the No. 2 spot behind Nathan Rakitt, who won a three-setter against Furman for his only decision this spring. Rakitt’s return (he missed the Georgia Southern and Mercer matches due to a concussion, pushed everybody else down a notch for last week’s Furman match, with Segura at No. 3, Kay at No. 4, Benito at No. 5 and Fiegel at No. 6. Freshmen Elijah Melendez and Daniel Yun have each played a match at No. 6.
DOUBLES UPDATE – Benito and Segura are 1-1 in their two dual-match decisions this spring. They were ranked no. 20 in the fall but struggled until the end, when they won four straight. In the spring, they went 2-1 in the MLK Invitational, which featured wins over No. 16 Columbia and No. 8 Georgia and a loss in a tiebreaker against No. 2 Oklahoma. Eubanks and Kay have teamed up to go 1-1 at No. 2, while Rakitt and Fiegel played No. 3 last weekend and won.
HEAD COACH Kenny Thorne SAYS – “East Tennessee State is a solid team but has had a tough schedule. They finished the season last year ahead of us so it will be a good indicator of where we are this year. The Citadel is coached by one of the better tennis coaches in the nation. We know his team will fight hard. We had a good week of practice but matches show if we are comfortable correcting from last week and growing this team.
ABOUT GEORGIA TECH MEN’S TENNIS
Georgia Tech’s men’s tennis team is in its 17th year under head coach Kenny Thorne. The Yellow Jackets have played in the NCAA Championship 14 times. Connect with Georgia Tech Men’s Tennis on social media by liking their Facebook page, or following on Twitter (@GT_MTEN). For more information on Tech men’s tennis, visit Ramblinwreck.com.
