TULSA, Okla. — Four of LSU’s men’s tennis players will compete, Thursday, in the main draw of the Polo Ralph Lauren ITA All-American Championships.
For the Tigers, the action will be highlighted by the season debuts of junior Ken Skupski and senior Mark Growcott, the No. 1 ranked doubles team in the nation.
The pair, who also received the tournaments No. 1 doubles seed, will take on Eric Molnar and Chad Tsuda of Colorado at 5 p.m. The match will mark Skupski and Growcott’s first appearance together since falling in the finals of 2005 NCAA Doubles Championships.
Skupski and Growcott also received byes for the singles main draw tournament. Skupski, ranked No. 17 in singles nationally, will face Arizona’s, Roger Matalonga, at 8 a.m. Meanwhile Growcott, the nation’s No. 37 ranked singles player, will face off with, No.7 ranked, Arnaud Lecloerec, of Virginia Commonwealth, at 9 a.m.
If Skupski or Growcott win their first round singles matches they will move on to play in round two, Thursday afternoon.
“This will be the first tournament for Mark and Ken and I know there ready to get out there and compete tomorrow,” said associate head tennis coach Mark Booras.
Skupski and Growcott will be joined by fellow Tigers Danny Bryan and Colt Gaston. Gaston and Bryan were both eliminated in singles qualifying, but received a bye for the doubles main draw. The duo, ranked No. 27 in doubles, have a tough matchup, in the team of Scott Green and Ross Wilson, who are ranked No. 2 nationally. That match will also begin in 5 p.m.
“The competition is going to be tough,” said Booras. “We’re excited to compete with this level of competition.”