Alabama Men’s Tennis opened its season in the first day of the annual Crimson Tide Four-in-the-Fall.  The Crimson Tide is looking to build off last year’s Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Championships.

Despite brutal playing conditions, Alabama won both of its doubles matches, while, cumulatively, winning four singles matches.  

Sophomore Riccardo Roberto was in control throughout the day.  Roberto won his doubles match with sophomore Patrick Kaukovalta, 8-4, over Rice’s Eskeland/Oscislawski. Sophomore Sam Fischer and junior Zhe Zhou, also, won their doubles match 8-4, knocking off Miami’s Grattan-Smith/Shimamoto.

Later in the afternoon, Roberto won his first round singles match 6-1, 6-3, cruising by Miami’s Tatsuki Shimamoto.  In the second round, Roberto would handle Princeton’s Payton Holden, winning 6-0, 7-6.

Zhou, also, cruised to an easy first round victory, beating Memphis’ Marshall Sullivan 6-4, 6-1.  Fischer and Kaukovalta both fell in their respective first round matchups.

In the second round, Kaukovalta defeated Miami’s Franco Aubone, 6-3, 6-3, while Zhou dropped his match.

The second round of doubles’ play will pick up Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. and the third round of singles’ play will begin at 12:30 p.m..