The Alabama men’s tennis team is set to take on the UAB Blazers and Samford Bulldogs in Birmingham today. The Tide will play the Blazers (16-4) at 1 p.m. before taking on the Bulldogs (14-3) at 6 p.m.
The Tide comes into the doubleheader with an 8-13 record but has won two of its last three matches, including a win over the No. 19 Tennessee Volunteers on Sunday. It was the Tide’s first win over Tennessee since 2006. Head coach Billy Pate had high praise for the recent turnaround from his team.
“We’re doing a heck of a lot better now that we have the Tennessee win, and now we’re finally pointing in the right direction,” Pate said. “We needed that win.”
Pate also said, that, since Alabama’s win against Tennessee, the players’ expectations of themselves have risen.
“Now there is a belief that we can go out and win every match, which is a belief that should have been with the team all year,” Pate said.
Alabama will have to rely on senior Ricky Doverspike to help the Tide maintain its momentum from its recent wins. Doverspike has continued to show improvement throughout the season, especially in doubles matches. He and his partner, junior Jarryd Botha, have won three matches in a row, including two against ranked opponents. Doverspike and Botha beat Tennessee’s eighth-ranked pair of Mikelis Libietis and Hunter Reese, and Georgia’s 34th-ranked Hernus Pieters and Ignacio Taboada. With his and Botha’s recent success, Doverspike said he is confident his team can compete against anyone.
“We’re definitely really confident right now,” Doverspike said. “We’re hanging right there with the best teams. Now we just have to buckle down and go and win some matches.”
Although the Tide has seen recent success lately, the Blazers and Bulldogs are on hot streaks of their own, with both programs winning their last three matches. Pate said he is making sure these teams are not overlooked, especially considering the Tide’s looming final match against the Auburn Tigers Saturday.
“If our team wants to achieve the goals they set out to do, they can’t look ahead,” Pate said. “With UAB being ranked [in the top 60], it’s crucial that we focus on them and not what’s to come later.”
Considering the Blazers’ and Bulldogs’ impressive records, senior Ricky Doverspike said he isn’t having any trouble giving them his utmost attention.
“They definitely have the surprise factor,” Doverspike said. “We have to take them seriously because they’re both good teams. They’ve snuck up on a few teams this year, and we have to make sure we’re not the next one to have that happen.”
