TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The LSU men’s tennis team heads to Tuscaloosa, Ala., this week to compete in the 2013 ITA Southern Regional hosted by the University of Alabama at the UA Varsity Courts.
The Tigers are coming off a busy week with the 2013 ITA All-American Championships in Tulsa, Okla.
“This is an important event for the team,” head coach Jeff Brown said. “It has been a good fall so far. The intensity and energy that this team has taken to each event has been great. We’ve gotten a lot out of the team at each event and we look forward to continuing that.”
The tournament will last through Monday, Oct. 18 with first round action slated to start on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. CT.
Thursday will feature the first round of doubles play and the first two rounds of the singles main draw. The second round of doubles and third and fourth rounds of singles, as well as singles consolation matches, will take place on Friday. Heading into the weekend, the third and fourth round of doubles and the quarterfinals for singles will be held on Saturday, along with singles consolation matches. Sunday will feature the semifinals for both doubles and singles. The tournament will be wrapped up on Monday with the final round for doubles, singles and singles consolation.
No. 29 junior Chris Simpson has had an impressive fall so far for the Tigers. The 2012 ITA Southern Region Player to Watch advanced to the semifinals of the 2013 SEC Fall Classic in late September and is coming off a second round appearance in the singles main draw at the ITA All-American Championships.
“Chris came in ready to go this semester and he has picked up some good wins at each event that he has played in,” Brown said. “He has a chance to go far in this event and we’ll see where it takes him from there. He’s got his head on right and he is ready to go.”
For singles, Simpson received a first round bye and is ranked No. 2 in the tournament. Sophomores Boris Arias, Tam Trinh and Harrison Kennedy also received first round byes. Redshirt freshman Eric Perez will face Tulane’s Chi-Shan Jao in the first round tomorrow. Sophomore transfer Andrew Korinek will square off against Juan Troglia of South Alabama. Freshman Justin Butsch will face New Orleans’ Timo Kranz. Redshirt freshman John Michael Busch will take on Michael Binder of New Orleans.
For doubles, Simpson and Arias received a first round bye and are the No. 3 ranked doubles duo at the tournament. The duos of Busch and Perez and Butsch and Kennedy also received first round byes. Korinek and Trinh will face South Alabama’s Gerhard Gruindelingh and Manuel Belda.
For up-to-date information and behind the scenes access on the Tigers, fans can follow the LSU men’s team on Twitter @lsutennis and follow head coach Jeff Brown @LSUCoachJBrown and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lsutennis.
2013 ITA Southern Regional
Thursday, October 10
Doubles
Andrew Korinek/Tam Trinh (LSU) vs. Gerhard Gruindelingh/Manuel Belda (South Alabama) – 8:30 a.m. CT
Singles
Eric Perez (LSU) vs. Chi-Shan Jao (Tulane) – 8:30 a.m. CT
Andrew Korinek (LSU) vs. Juan Troglia (South Alabama) – 10 a.m. CT
Justin Butsch (LSU) vs. Timo Kranz (New Orleans) – 8:30 a.m. CT
John Michael Busch (LSU) vs. Michael Binder (New Orleans) – 9:30 a.m. CT
2013 ITA Southern Regional
Full Tournament Schedule
Thursday, October 10
Doubles: First Round – 8:30 a.m. CT
Singles: First and Second Round – 10 a.m. CT
Friday, October 11
Doubles: Second Round – 8:30 a.m. CT
Singles: Third and Fourth Round – 10 a.m. CT
Consolation Singles – 10 a.m. CT
Saturday, October 12
Doubles: Round of 16 and Quarterfinals – TBD
Singles: Quarterfinals – TBD
Consolation Singles – TBD
Sunday, October 13
Doubles: Semifinals – TBD
Singles: Semifinals – TBD
Consolation Singles: Semifinals – TBD
Monday, October 14
Doubles: Final Round – TBD
Singles: Final Round – TBD
Consolation Singles: Final Round – TBD