Sunday, March 14
Starkville
12:00 PM
Mississippi State
vs
Florida
Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
No. 24 Bulldog Tennis Set For Home Battle With No. 7 Florida Sunday
March 13, 2021 | Men's Tennis
STARKVILLE – After a 4-3 upset victory over No. 14 South Carolina Friday afternoon, the 24th-ranked Mississippi State men's tennis team looks to keep its momentum rolling against No. 7 Florida on Sunday afternoon. Match time between the Bulldogs (11-4, 2-3 SEC) and Gators (11-1, 7-0 SEC) is slated for 12 p.m. Sunday at MSU's A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre. Admission is free to all MSU home matches.
2021 MSU Tennis COVID/Attendance Protocols
In conjunction with current COVID protocols established by the most recent Governor's Executive Order, fans may attend Sunday's match at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre, with seating allowed in designated areas only. Continuing MSU and SEC COVID protocols, face coverings over the nose and mouth shall be required as a condition of all guest during ingress, egress, and movement throughout the stadium, as well as any time guests are unable to maintain the recommended physical distance from others who are not in their same household or when actively eating or drinking. For all COVID/attendance protocols for 2021 MSU Tennis home matches, please visit www.HailState.com/gameday.
Live Video/Stats
Fans can follow home men's tennis action live all season long at HailState.com/livemt.
MSU In The Oracle ITA Rankings…
The Bulldogs are currently ranked 24th nationally as a team by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association in this week's latest poll (March 10). In the ITA national singles rankings, State is led by senior and two-time All-American Giovanni Oradini at No. 36 in the country. Following right behind is veteran Florian Broska at No. 87 nationally in singles. In doubles, the Bulldogs have two duos currently ranked with Broska and freshman Nicolas Ocana earning the nation's No. 28 spot. Rounding out the rankings is the duo of Alberto Colas and Gregor Ramskogler, coming in at 47th nationally.
Know The Foe: Florida
No. 7 Florida will enter Sunday's match with an 11-1 overall mark, 7-0 in SEC play, after downing No. 19 Ole Miss 6-1 in Oxford Friday night. Winners of eight straight coming to Starkville, the Gators' last four wins have all come over current Top 20 teams – at No. 12 Texas A&M, No. 20 Georgia, No. 4 Tennessee and at No. 19 Ole Miss. UF's only loss of the season came in a tight 4-3 decision against No. 6 Texas in the ITA Kick-off Weekend in Austin, Texas, in late January.
Four Gators are currently ranked among the nation's Top 85 nationally. Duarte Vale holds the nation's 12th-ranked slot and holds down the No. 1 position in the lineup. Sam Riffice is currently ranked No. 8 nationally while UF's Blaise Bicknell comes in at No. 68 and Andy Andrade is No. 85. In doubles, Riffice teams up with Vale to form the country's 45th-ranked duo.
The Gators currently hold a 37-19 all-time record against the Bulldogs in the series (since 1969). However, the Bulldogs have claimed two of the last three meetings with UF, including the last battle in Starkville, a 5-2 Bulldog win in 2018.
Need To Know…
Mississippi State Athletics is holding a water drive Friday through Sunday, to benefit Jackson, Mississippi-area residents impacted by the community's water shortage and boil notice following recent winter storms.
MSU will collect bottled water at the Barnes & Noble parking lot on campus the following days and times:
Friday, March 12 – 3 to 6 p.m.
Saturday, March 13 – 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sunday, March 14 – 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Other Mississippi institutions are also participating in donation efforts as part of the "Stronger Together" initiative. The initiative launched in September 2020 to unite the state's athletics programs and communities in support of togetherness, diversity and equality.
Last Time Out…
In their most recent outing, the Bulldogs notched a 4-3 upset win over No. 14 South Carolina Friday in Starkville. The Bulldogs posted two ranked doubles wins over the Gamecocks to claim the opening point. In singles, each team took three first sets to start. In a key momentum swing in the match, Nemanja Malesevic came back from a set down to register his first career ranked win - 1-6, 6-0, 6-1 over 81st-ranked Gamecock Raphael Lambling - and up State's lead to 3-1. Fellow rookie Carles Hernandez would then clinch the match for the Bulldogs – for the second straight match - showing true grit and determination by holding off USC's Jake Beasley in two tight sets 6-4, 7-5 at the No. 5 spot.
Next Up For MSU…
Following Sunday's affair with No. 7 Florida, the Bulldogs will close out their current five-match homestand on Saturday, March 20, welcoming the Blazers of UAB in an 11 a.m. affair.
For more information on the Mississippi State men's tennis program, follow "HailStateMT" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
2021 MSU Tennis COVID/Attendance Protocols
In conjunction with current COVID protocols established by the most recent Governor's Executive Order, fans may attend Sunday's match at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre, with seating allowed in designated areas only. Continuing MSU and SEC COVID protocols, face coverings over the nose and mouth shall be required as a condition of all guest during ingress, egress, and movement throughout the stadium, as well as any time guests are unable to maintain the recommended physical distance from others who are not in their same household or when actively eating or drinking. For all COVID/attendance protocols for 2021 MSU Tennis home matches, please visit www.HailState.com/gameday.
Live Video/Stats
Fans can follow home men's tennis action live all season long at HailState.com/livemt.
MSU In The Oracle ITA Rankings…
The Bulldogs are currently ranked 24th nationally as a team by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association in this week's latest poll (March 10). In the ITA national singles rankings, State is led by senior and two-time All-American Giovanni Oradini at No. 36 in the country. Following right behind is veteran Florian Broska at No. 87 nationally in singles. In doubles, the Bulldogs have two duos currently ranked with Broska and freshman Nicolas Ocana earning the nation's No. 28 spot. Rounding out the rankings is the duo of Alberto Colas and Gregor Ramskogler, coming in at 47th nationally.
Know The Foe: Florida
No. 7 Florida will enter Sunday's match with an 11-1 overall mark, 7-0 in SEC play, after downing No. 19 Ole Miss 6-1 in Oxford Friday night. Winners of eight straight coming to Starkville, the Gators' last four wins have all come over current Top 20 teams – at No. 12 Texas A&M, No. 20 Georgia, No. 4 Tennessee and at No. 19 Ole Miss. UF's only loss of the season came in a tight 4-3 decision against No. 6 Texas in the ITA Kick-off Weekend in Austin, Texas, in late January.
Four Gators are currently ranked among the nation's Top 85 nationally. Duarte Vale holds the nation's 12th-ranked slot and holds down the No. 1 position in the lineup. Sam Riffice is currently ranked No. 8 nationally while UF's Blaise Bicknell comes in at No. 68 and Andy Andrade is No. 85. In doubles, Riffice teams up with Vale to form the country's 45th-ranked duo.
The Gators currently hold a 37-19 all-time record against the Bulldogs in the series (since 1969). However, the Bulldogs have claimed two of the last three meetings with UF, including the last battle in Starkville, a 5-2 Bulldog win in 2018.
Need To Know…
- Mississippi State is playing its 98th season of men's tennis, with Matt Roberts in his seventh season at the helm.
- The Bulldogs sit at 11-4 overall, 2-3 SEC, after securing a 4-3 home win Friday afternoon against No. 14 South Carolina.
- MSU is currently ranked 24th nationally as a team by the ITA in this week's poll.
- State's four losses this season have all come to current Top 20 teams – No. 4 Tennessee, No. 5 TCU, No. 12 Texas A&M and No. 20 Georgia.
- Under head coach Matt Roberts, MSU is 126-43 overall in his seven seasons at the helm of the Bulldogs.
- Roberts is 73-12 at home, 10-2 in 2021.
- True freshman Nemanja Malesevic leads the Maroon and White in overall wins (27) in 2020-21
- Malesevic, Florian Broska and Alberto Colas are tied for MSU's lead in total dual match victories (17) thus far this spring.
- True freshman Carles Hernandez sits at 10-4 in singles this season and has clinched MSU's last two matches – 4-3 wins over LSU and South Carolina.
Mississippi State Athletics is holding a water drive Friday through Sunday, to benefit Jackson, Mississippi-area residents impacted by the community's water shortage and boil notice following recent winter storms.
MSU will collect bottled water at the Barnes & Noble parking lot on campus the following days and times:
Friday, March 12 – 3 to 6 p.m.
Saturday, March 13 – 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sunday, March 14 – 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Other Mississippi institutions are also participating in donation efforts as part of the "Stronger Together" initiative. The initiative launched in September 2020 to unite the state's athletics programs and communities in support of togetherness, diversity and equality.
Last Time Out…
In their most recent outing, the Bulldogs notched a 4-3 upset win over No. 14 South Carolina Friday in Starkville. The Bulldogs posted two ranked doubles wins over the Gamecocks to claim the opening point. In singles, each team took three first sets to start. In a key momentum swing in the match, Nemanja Malesevic came back from a set down to register his first career ranked win - 1-6, 6-0, 6-1 over 81st-ranked Gamecock Raphael Lambling - and up State's lead to 3-1. Fellow rookie Carles Hernandez would then clinch the match for the Bulldogs – for the second straight match - showing true grit and determination by holding off USC's Jake Beasley in two tight sets 6-4, 7-5 at the No. 5 spot.
Next Up For MSU…
Following Sunday's affair with No. 7 Florida, the Bulldogs will close out their current five-match homestand on Saturday, March 20, welcoming the Blazers of UAB in an 11 a.m. affair.
For more information on the Mississippi State men's tennis program, follow "HailStateMT" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
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