COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Two members of the LSU men’s tennis team are set to compete in the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships hosted by Texas A&M and scheduled to begin on Wednesday at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center.
Senior Michael Venus and freshman Neal Skupski will both travel to the championships to represent LSU.
Venus’ outstanding performance in singles and presence in the national rankings earned the 6-3 standout the seventh-seed in singles. Venus compiled an overall 25-8 record, posted as highly as No. 2 in the Campbell/Intercollegiate Tennis Association Rankings and garnered the award for Southeastern Conference Player of the Year in his senior season with the Tigers.
In doubles, Venus and partner Skupski became a formidable force as the tandem took down 12 nationally-ranked opponents when paired together. Currently, the duo posts as the No. 2 team in the nation with an overall 18-8 record and are the No. 3 seed in the tournament.
Competition kicks off with singles on Wednesday as Venus faces Louisville’s Austen Childs in the Round of 64 at 2 p.m. CDT. Childs is a 5-11 sophomore hailing from Mt. Maunganui, New Zealand, posting a 27-12 overall record en route to his tournament berth.
Doubles competition is slated to begin on Thursday. LSU’s duo competes against Sacramento State’s Kiryl Harbatsiuk and Anton Stryhas in the Round of 32. The Sacramento State pair notched an overall 15-7 record on their journey to the tournament.
“The guys have been practicing very well,” LSU head coach Jeff Brown said. “They have been sharp and energized. Now they are looking to execute well and get back on the court to compete after a little bit of time off. Michael is excited and so is Neal with this being his first championship.”
Venus to Represent Men's Tennis in NCAA Singles Draw