Middle Tennessee men’s tennis (3-3) lost 3-4 in a hard fought match against the Auburn Tigers (3-2) on Friday evening.
The Blue Raiders returned to the Adams Tennis Complex after a trip from New York City, where they were defeated by Florida 4-0 and beat Miami 4-2.
Doubles
Middle Tennessee took the first doubles match of the night with the duo of Rostilav Halfinger and freshman Kacper Szymkowiak taking down Nicholas Heng and Thomas Kennedy of Auburn by a score of 6-3.
After taking the first doubles match of the night the Blue Raiders were unable to capitalize as the duo of Shu Matsuoka and Jakub Kroslak were bested by Alex Frusina and Joey Philips 6-3, forcing the third doubles match to be the tiebreaker.
In a hard fought match for both sides, the duo of Karin Al-Amin and Ondrej Horak started red hot for Middle Tennessee, taking the lead 3-0 to begin their match, but the Tigers turned it around and defeated the Blue Raiders 6-4, as Auburn took the first point of the night.
“Doubles is a game of nuances,” Al-Amin said. “It’s always a mental game and It’s always up and down for both teams, but we let it slip away.”
Singles
Freshman Kacper Szymkowiak showed out in doubles and then went on to have a dominant performance against Joseph Phillips during singles winning the first set 6-1 and the second by a score of 6-4.
“He’s been a tremendous addition to the team,” Al-Amin said. “It’s a big cornerstone for the team to have somebody like him that I can rely on, and I believe that he will do great things for the program.”
Al-Amin showed signs of toughness in his first set against Will Nolan but lost 7-6, (7-4). After a really tough doubles matchup as well as a long first set during singles Al-Amin started to struggle in his second and eventually lost the set 6-0.
With another great showing from the fans, all eyes seemed to be on Shu Matsuoka as he received vocal support from his fans. Matsuoka defeated Auburn’s Billy Blaydes in their singles match, winning both sets by scores of 6-3, 7-6 (7-3).
“Sometimes it’s tough but It helps so much when it comes to a crucial moment,” Matsuoka said of his fans. “I know that they (the fans) are here to support me and the team, and knowing that it helps alot in those tough moments.”
Middle Tennessee’s Jakub Kroslak and Auburn’s Alexander Frusinia had the most heated matchup of the night. The first set was back and forth and was forced into a tiebreak with Frusina taking the first set by a score of 7-6, (7-4). After a hard fought first set Kroslak won the second set 6-1, but was unable to complete the comeback and lost the third set 6-3.
“It was a very tough match, and you have to be mentally tough,” Matsuoka said. “For us to see that from him it helps us want to win more”
The Blue Raiders travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to face off against the Crimson Tide on Sunday, Feb. 2.
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