State's Combette Named SEC Tennis Player Of The Week
Combette's wins at Tennessee were both very important in State's 6-1 upset of the 35th-ranked Volunteers. The senior teamed with Max Fomine to post a 9-7 doubles win that secured the opening doubles point for the Bulldogs. He would then register a 7-6, 7-6 upset over UT's 76th-ranked Mark Dietrich in singles to clinch the victory for State.
In MSU's 5-2 win at No. 19 Georgia Sunday, the Ajaccio, Corsica, native again teamed with Fomine in doubles, this time notching an 8-4 win that would be integral in the Bulldogs gaining the first point of the day against UGA.
With his three victories over the weekend, Combette has now tallied 144 career triumphs in singles and doubles, leaving him 13 wins shy of State's all-time top 10. He already ranked fifth in all-time doubles victories at State with 74.
"Rene's wins were very big for us over the weekend and we are proud of his honor," MSU head coach Sylvain Guichard said. "He is having a solid senior season and we hope that he can continue his good play and end his career with us on a high note in the coming weeks."
Combette is one of four Bulldogs to earn the SEC's weekly award since the league initiated it for the sport of tennis in 2000. His laurel this week marks the second time he has received the award (also did once last spring), making him the third Bulldog to claim it twice during a career. In addition to his two honors, Ambert (once in 2002 and 2003), three-time, all-American Marco Baron (twice in 2001), and four-year star Jeremy Bayon (once in 2000) have also each earned the distinction.
Combette and the Bulldogs will continue action this Friday with a very important home match, hosting 20th-ranked LSU at MSU's A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre at 2 p.m. State will then travel to 26th-ranked Arkansas Sunday before closing out the regular season on Saturday, April 12, welcoming fifth-ranked, arch-rival Mississippi as part of Super Bulldog Weekend activities.