University of Tennessee Athletics
Men's Tennis Welcomes Vanderbilt, Kentucky This Weekend
March 31, 2004 | Men's Tennis
March 31, 2004
Tennessee's No. 17-ranked men's tennis team plays host to a pair of top-25 Southeastern Conference teams this weekend. The Volunteers (10-5, 3-3 SEC) welcome No. 20 Vanderbilt for a 3 p.m. Friday matchup, and No. 22 Kentucky visits for a 1 p.m. dual match Sunday.
The Vols split last weekend's homestand, dropping a 4-3 decision to South Carolina and then upsetting No. 9 Florida 5-2. The victory over the Gators - UT's second home win over a top-10 opponent this season - propelled Tennessee to a No. 17 ITA national ranking, its highest of the season.
Vanderbilt (11-6, 5-2 SEC) has turned into a national contender under eighth-year head coach Ken Flach. The 2003 NCAA runner-up Commodores have won two straight matches and six of their last eight. The 'Dores are the first UT opponent to boast four ranked singles players. These talented netters include No. 14 Chad Harris, No. 52 Scott Brown, No. 58 Zach Dailey and No. 66 Matt Lockin. The doubles team of Brown and Harris is ranked No. 32 in the nation. Vanderbilt won last season's meeting 7-0 in Nashville, marking the first time the Vols had been shutout since the 1997 SEC tournament.
Kentucky (12-5, 4-2) is enjoying another strong season under longtime head coach Dennis Emery. UK has won five of its last six dual matches. The Wildcats boast two ranked singles players, including No. 8 Jesse Witten and No. 61 Tigran Martirosyan. Witten and Rahim Esmail are ranked No. 16 in the doubles rankings. Kentucky won last season's meeting with Tennessee 6-1 in Lexington, Ky.
