Vanderbilt Males’s Tennis staff seems to capitalize on its stable fall season heading into staff play.
The Vanderbilt males’s tennis staff completed off its fall season on the Georgia Tech invitational this weekend, sporting a mixed 7-2 document in doubles and a 9-12 document in singles. (Vanderbilt Athletics)
Ian Duvenhage has been teaching faculty tennis for 40 of the previous 45 years, the final 18 of which he spent proper right here in Nashville. He has turn out to be the winningest coach in Vanderbilt historical past, main the staff to 11 NCAA tournaments. That is his final yr on the job, and the Commodores hope to provide Coach Duvenhage the farewell season he deserves.
The ‘Dores have some momentum coming off a dominant final day on the MLK Invitational — taking 10 of 12 matches towards Charlotte — and look to experience that wave into the upcoming twin match schedule. That momentum might be a lot wanted to knock off No. 8 USC in Los Angeles this upcoming weekend.
Main the Commodores is senior Joubert Klopper. The South African is coming off a fall season that noticed him go 5-6 on the singles courtroom and 6-4 in doubles. Klopper has lots of expertise, as he performed the second singles place for almost all of the Spring 2022 season.
Klopper will possible be splitting time within the greater lineup positions with Siim Troost, Jeremie Casabon or freshman Nathan Cox, relying on the match. Cox, a robust lefty out of Lake Charles, Louisiana, was the crown jewel of a Vanderbilt recruiting class that obtained votes as a prime 25 class. The category additionally included fellow freshmen Mitchell Deames and Paul Wang. The previous blue chip is the very best rated participant on paper — sporting a 12.87 UTR ranking — however will possible spend extra time decrease within the lineup because of his youth and relative inexperience. He nonetheless tasks to be a weapon for this staff sooner or later.
Casabon, a junior from Flourtown, Pennsylvania, was ranked 83rd within the ITA singles rankings heading into the Fall 2021 season. The previous Gold Ball winner competed primarily within the fifth singles spot final season and completed 7-10. Nonetheless, he racked up an 8-5 document this fall and might be anticipated to do some heavy lifting for this staff.
As for Troost, the senior out of Estonia has been a key piece for Vanderbilt since transferring out of Minnesota in 2021. He joined the Commodores after the Golden Gophers eradicated their program. Troost went 6-4 on the singles courtroom and 4-6 on the doubles courtroom within the fall. He could be the most achieved participant on this roster, as he reached an ITA doubles rating of 4 in March 2021 together with his former companion Vlad Lobak.
Troost shared the courtroom final yr completely with sophomore Michael Ross. The previous extremely touted recruit is trying to construct off of a stable freshman yr that noticed him compile a 21-16 doubles document. He and Troost are ranked at No. 38 in preseason doubles.
Rounding out the anticipated base lineup are fifth-year seniors Marcus Ferriera and Macsen Sisam. Ferreria went 13-9 on the third singles spot final spring, and Sisam went 2-0 in SEC play final yr. The pair ought to function veteran leaders for the Commodores as they attempt to return to the NCAA event for his or her coach’s final hurrah.
Following a loss to Yale and a win over Charlotte within the final non-dual match play of the yr, the lads are going to Los Angeles for the ITA Kickoff the place they face USC after which both Memphis or UCLA. Their first dwelling match is February 4th towards Princeton.
