The MTSU men’s tennis team (13-3, 0-0 CUSA) closed out the weekend with a double header victory over Alabama State University and Austin Peay State University. The Blue Raiders’ matchday began with a victory against the Alabama State Hornets (3-5, 0-0 SWAC), with a final score of 5-2. 

The Blue Raiders got off to a slow start in doubles against Alabama State. While the No. 38 ranked doubles tandem of Karim Al-Amin and Ondrej Horak handled business at No.1 in dominant fashion, 6-1, the Hornets controlled the other two matches.  

At No. 2, Alabama State’s duo of Martin Catrice and Matteo Lattaste secured the first match win of the day against MTSU’s Eric Crivei and Jonasz Dziopak, 6-1. Hornets’ duo Milan Ristov and Eloi Roux then defeated freshman duo Houston Jacques and Antoine Mayoral at No. 3 to clinch the opening point.  

“I think we started out flat in doubles,” assistant coach John Kreis said. “We didn’t want to do that in the second match. That was one of our main focuses, was to come out with energy.” 

In singles, senior Freddy Murray made quick work at No. 5, cruising to victory in straight sets 6-1, 6-1, to secure the Blue Raiders’ first singles point. CUSA Athlete of the Week Birtan Duran secured his match win 6-3, 6-2 at No. 3 to give the Blue Raiders a 2-1 advantage. 

MTSU then finished the sweep of the odd-numbered courts as Horak remained hot following a dominant showing in doubles, and won 6-3, 6-2 at No. 1. 

On the even-numbered courts, the matches were much more contested. Dziopak secured his singles point, and ultimately the winning point, on No. 4, winning 6-4, 6-3. 

The remaining two contests on No. 2 and 6 went to three sets, as freshman Santiago Lora narrowly lost on No. 6, 7-5, 6-4, 1-0 (10-8). Singles action then concluded with Al-Amin securing MTSU’s fifth point of the matchup on No. 2, winning narrowly, 6-7 (6-2), 6-2, 6-5. 

The Blue Raiders concluded their doubleheader with a 6-1 win against the Austin Peay Governors (2-4, 0-0 ASUN)  

MTSU started the same doubles teams in their second matchup against the Governors. 

Crivei and Dzipoak redeemed themselves at No. 2, as they earned the first match win of the contest with a swift 6-1 defeat of APSU’s freshman duo Vincent Wei-Hsin and Felip de la Hormaza.  

The other two doubles matches were back and forth, as the Blue Raiders and Governors traded sets. APSU’s duo of Bodi van Galen and Lucas Ranciaro claimed victory on No. 3 over MTSU’s Jacques and Mayoral, 6-4.  

The opening point rested on MTSU’s senior duo of Horak and Al-Amin, who managed to overcome a 5-4 deficit to win their match 7-5 and clinch the opening point against the Governors’ duo of Rohan Laubser and Logan Tomovski.  

“Me and Karim have known each other for over three years now,” Horak said. “And we are always trying to win every single point in doubles. We know that we have to fight for every single point and eventually we got it.” 

The Blue Raiders made three changes to their singles lineup, as Jacques replaced Lora, Crevei replaced Dzipoak and freshman Rich LaLance saw his first playing time of the day and replaced Al-Amin.  

The Governors made a change of their own, as junior Glen Arnet replaced van Galen in singles action.  

Horak’s singles match against Laubser on No. 1 was conceded early 6-3, 2-0 due to Laubser suffering an injury, surrendering the point to the Blue Raiders.  

On No. 4, Crevei overcame a 4-3 deficit in the second set to secure his singles win 6-4, 6-4, tallying a third point in favor of MTSU.  

“I’m a very competitive guy so it keeps me energized during a long match day like this,” Crevei said.  

Murray closed out his second win of the day in straight sets over Tomovski, 6-1, 6-3 on No. 3, clinching MTSU’s fourth point of the contest. 

The remaining matches all went to three sets, with Governors and Blue Raiders players exchanging sets.  

The Governors earned their lone point of the contest on No. 5, as Ranciaro came back from a first-set deficit to defeat Jacques in three sets, 4-6, 6-3, 6-0. 

At No. 2, Duran recovered from a slow second set to win his second match of the day over APSU’s Wei-Hsin in three sets, 6-0, 3-6, 6-1. Singles action concluded as Rich LaLance defeated Arnet on No. 6 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in his spring singles debut. 

With the sweep against Alabama State and Austin Peay, MTSU remains perfect at home this season, extending its win streak to 12 matches at home. 

“I think they enjoy going at home,” Kreis said. “They recognize that we have a good local support and not all schools can claim that. Coach Jimmy works hard to build that support and the guys appreciate it.” 

The Blue Raiders will host another double-header against Pepperdine and Southern Indiana on Sunday at 1 p.m. CDT and 5 p.m. CDT. 

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