TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The 18th-ranked LSU men’s tennis team opens Southeastern Conference play Friday at 1 p.m. when it battles 20th-ranked Alabama at the Alabama Varsity Courts.
The Tigers (4-1) picked up its most impressive win of the season last Saturday by defeating the 25th-ranked Texas A&M Aggies, 5-2. LSU owns a 4-1 record with all four wins coming at home.
The Tide (8-3) is the third top-25 team the Tigers have faced this season. Alabama hosted Indiana last Sunday and came out with a 6-1 victory.
LSU owns a 38-21-1 all-time record against Alabama. Last season, the SEC West rivals squared off in Baton Rouge and the Tigers won by a 5-2 mark.
“Alabama could be a top-ten team this year because they have a lot of experience and talent,” said LSU head coach Jeff Brown. “It is a great way to open the SEC with a tough conference opponent. They are as good as any team that we have faced up to this point. We know we have to be physically and mentally strong to get the win.”
Sebastian Carlsson owns a team best 15-4 record. The SEC Freshman of the Week breezed in his last match against Matt Bain of Texas A&M, 6-2, 6-0. Carlsson has won nine of his last 10 matches with all nine wins coming in straight sets.
LSU has one singles player and one doubles team in the national rankings. LSU’s No.1 singles player Michael Venus is listed at No. 70 in singles. The 6-3 junior had a comeback victory against the Aggies when he rallied from a 4-1 third-set deficit to defeat 27th ranked Conor Pollock.
Kevin Dessauer and Jan Zelezny appear in the national rankings at No. 57. The Tiger tandem clinched the double point for LSU against the Aggies with a 9-7 victory against Matt Bain and Will Spencer.
Head coach Billy Pate is in his sixth season in leading the Tide. Alabama’s Daniel Buikema and Mathieu Thibaudeau hold a No. 37 national doubles ranking. The Alabama pair has compiled a 17-8 record and is on a three-match win streak. In singles Yassine Houssam leads the Tide with 16 wins.