No. 36 Netmen Jump Back Into Action Friday at No. 19 Alabama
The Bulldogs, ranked 36th in the latest Omni Hotels Collegiate Rankings (released Wednesday), are 4-6 overall and still seeking their first Southeastern Conference win after opening the league slate with losses to 15th-ranked South Carolina (3-4) and second-ranked Florida (0-7) at home two weeks ago. Alabama is 13-2 and 2-2 in the SEC after splitting decisions with No. 27 Tennessee (1-4) and No. 26 Georgia (5-2) this past weekend.
MSU and Alabama have met on the tennis court 40 times in the modern era (since 1969). State holds a slim 21-19 series lead on the Crimson Tide in that time span. UA has taken the last two meetings between the teams, both by tight 4-3 scores. The Bulldogs had won 10 in a row in the series prior to that.
State is led by junior all-American Romain Ambert who is 24-8 at the No. 1 singles position during his career and has been ranked as high as No. 3 nationally. He is backed up by seniors Jerome Le Belicard and Rene-Charles Combette.
Alabama currently has three players ranked among the nation's top 125, led by Chris Gostek (t76th) and Maxim Belski (82nd). Belski has been in the top 10 during his career. The Tide is led by first-year head coach Billy Pate, a Starkville native who played for State from 1988-91.
"We are ready to get back on the court and play," MSU head coach Sylvain Guichard said. "We have had some time to rest and now we just have to get out there and play like we know we are capable of. Alabama has a very good team this year and a win over there will be tough. But if we play like we did against South Carolina and, even moreso, like we did against Florida, we will have a good chance to get the win."
Following Friday's action, State heads to the other side of the state of Alabama to take on the 24th-ranked Auburn Tigers Sunday. That match will begin at 1:30 p.m. at the Luther Young Tennis Center on the AU campus.