The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Tennis and Crawfish on Tap this Weekend
3/30/2016 | Men's Tennis
OXFORD, Miss. - Sunny skies, warm temps and crawfish will greet Rebel fans, as the Ole Miss men's tennis team hosts arch-rival Mississippi State Friday, to continue a weekend full of tennis for both the men and women.
The Rebels and Bulldogs will square off Friday at 5 p.m., at the Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center. Following Friday's match, the Rebels will welcome Alabama Sunday at 1 p.m.
Promotions...
Fans will enjoy free crawfish at Friday's match, as part of our Crawfish Extravaganza. Rebel fans are also invited to tailgate out front of the tennis center on the east side. For the Alabama match, fans will enjoy Sundae Sunday and receive a souvenir poster of sophomore Gustav Hansson.
Last time out...
Ole Miss dropped a tight 4-1 match to Arkansas last Sunday to fall to 7-7 overall and 2-5 in the SEC. The loss snapped a 28-match win streak in the series for the Rebels, who had not lost to the Razorbacks since 1988. Gustav Hansson earned his biggest win as a Rebel, knocking off No. 30 ranked Mike Redlicki in his first SEC match at No. 1 singles.
Scouting Mississippi State...
Mississippi State comes in with a 13-5 overall record, 5-3 in the SEC. They are coming off a 4-2 win against Auburn on Monday. The Bulldogs, who have won five of their last seven matches, are led by 22nd-ranked Mate Cutura at No. 1 singles. MSU also boasts 80th-ranked Rishab Agarwal in the top half of the lineup.
Looking at Alabama...
Alabama owns a 13-9 overall record, 4-4 in the SEC. They are coming off a 5-2 loss to No. 16 Florida. The Crimson Tide is led by 43rd-ranked Mazen Osama and Korey Lovett, who is ranked No. 102. Together, the two form the No. 17 ranked doubles team in the nation.
Rebels vs. Mississippi State and Alabama...
Ole Miss lost to Mississippi State 4-1 last year in Starkville and dropped a 4-2 decision to Alabama in Tuscaloosa. The Rebels last win against both teams came in 2013.
National rankings...
The Rebels are ranked No. 38 in this week's Oracle/ITA National Rankings. In the latest individual rankings, Stefan Lindmark is ranked No. 87 and Gustav Hansson made his debut in the singles rankings at No. 104. He has posted three straight ranked wins, including last Sunday's win against the No. 30 ranked player. Filip Kraljevic and Zvonimir Babic are ranked No. 41 in doubles.
Quoting head coach Toby Hansson...
"We are excited to be back at home after three matches on the road, and what a big match we have coming up. There is nothing better than crawfish, great weather and an exciting tennis match against your arch-rival. Both Mississippi State and Alabama are two good teams and we need to be ready for a battle both days."
For more information on Ole Miss Men's Tennis, follow the Rebels on Twitter @OleMissMTennis, on Facebook at OleMissMTennis and on Instagram at OleMissMTennis, follow Coach Hansson on Twitter at @TennisToby.
Players Mentioned
