Feb. 22, 2011
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The 14th-ranked Texas A&M men's tennis team will hit the road again for a non-conference match against 47th-ranked TCU in Fort Worth on Wednesday, Feb. 23 with first serve set for 6 p.m.
The Aggies, 6-3, are coming off a 4-1 win Sunday against #14 Texas Tech at the ITA National Team Indoor Championships in Seattle. The squad returned to College Station on Monday and then departed for Fort Worth today.
"This will be a tough road test for the team as we got back Monday evening after playing in Seattle at the ITA Indoors," Aggie head coach Steve Denton said. "We have a quick turnaround by playing a feisty TCU team with a big crowd outdoors on Wednesday night. TCU has a new coach, David Roditi, who just came to them from the USTA (United States Tennis Association). He is a former All-American Horned Frog player and while he did not recruit this team, he has already made a huge impact as they are much improved. They played a very tough SEC team, Alabama, and lost 4-3."
With 12 letter winners returning for Texas A&M, Coach Denton has a veteran squad in place to handle the adversity of the road.
"It will be important for our guys to match their energy level tomorrow evening," Denton explained. "I know we will be going into a hostile environment and I trust our veteran team will handle the adversities we will face with poise and confidence. These types of matches test the character of a team and we will be better for it."
Leading the way for the Aggie squad is the top-ranked doubles tandem of Austin Krajicek (Brandon, FL) and Jeff Dadamo (Tampa, FL). The Aggie All-American duo has suffered only one loss this spring at the ITA National Indoors. On Feb. 4 in Houston, the Aggie tandem defeated the No. 2-ranked doubles team of Ed Corrie and Jean Andersen from the Texas Longhorns, 9-8 (3). Three other Aggie doubles teams are also ranked with Alberto Bautista (McAllen, TX) and Colin Hoover (Victoria, TX) ranked No. 57 while Alexis Klegou (Dunkerque, France) and Austin Klores (Franklin, TX) are ranked No. 62 and Niall Angus (London, England) and John Lewis (Birmingham, AL) are right behind them at No. 63.
In singles rankings, Krajicek is the top-ranked Aggie at No. 29 while Dadamo is ranked No. 49 and Klegou is No. 121.
The Horned Frogs are 2-3 on the season after dropping a 6-1 decision to No. 8 Baylor in Waco on Feb. 12 and suffering the home loss to No. 31 Alabama on Saturday, Feb. 11 in Fort Worth.
The TCU doubles tandem of Emanuel Brighiu and Christopher Price are ranked No. 48 in doubles.
The Aggies will return to host a twinbill on Sunday, Feb. 27 against LSU at 1 p.m. followed by UT-Arlingtoin at 6 p.m.