VIDEO: Jean Love Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The Carson-Newman men's tennis team opens the 2018 season as the Eagles host Delta State on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Buddy Catlett Tennis Complex.
C-N looks to build off of last season's 7-10 record and start the season on a high note, taking on the Statesmen for the first time in program history.
"We've just been trying to get ourselves ready to go," head coach Jean Love said of her team's preparation. "Ultimately, it's all about what we do. We're going to control what we can control, do what we can do, and you just kind of have to leave the rest alone because sometimes I can't control much about what my opponent does, but I can control myself and focus on the process things and do the things I know will make me successful."
This season, eight players return to Mossy Creek for the Eagles including four seniors. Kevin Mendes (Chattanooga, Tenn.) led the team with an 11-4 singles record last season at the No. 6 spot. He enters his senior year with a 26-25 career record, just five victories shy of tying Juan Sebastian Perez for most career singles wins this decade.
Sophomore Gabriel Dabdab (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) comes back this season after a 10-7 record at the fourth and fifth spots to start his career at C-N. As one half of the duo that garnered First-Team All-South Atlantic Conference Singles accolades in 2017 alongside Joao Pedro Oliveira, he grasped a 12-6 doubles record, mostly at the No. 2 position.
"I think Gabriel is looking to kind of step it up a little this year, which is good," Love said. "The men's team overall, just with our experience, I think we should be able to set a good tone right from the start."
Delta State concluded the 2017 season with a 5-12 overall record, going 3-6 in Gulf South Conference action. The Statesmen took a trip to the GSC Tournament, losing in the quarterfinal to Valdosta State, 5-0.
Head coach Jeffrey Farris' team returns just four players from last season with seven freshmen rounding out the rest of the roster including Emile Le Terrier. The Paris, France native who enters the season ranked No. 12 in the Oracle/ITA Division-II South Regional and No. 47 in the Oracle/ITA Division-II National Rankings.
Joao Yamacita is the lone senior for Delta State, coming off of a 6-6 singles record in 2017. On the doubles side, he spent most of his time paired up with Mason Vice, compiling a team-leading 9-4 record, 8-3 at the No. 3 spot.
"I would think our experience ought to help us in any match that we go into because the top-6 singles lineup that we're going to put out on the court to begin the year with, they're all experienced," Love said.
The Statesmen played in two exhibition matches in the fall, topping Alcorn State, 6-1, after a comeback victory over Jackson State, 4-3. Delta State lost two of three doubles matches before turning things around in singles play, losing only at the four and five spots.
Saturday's match is slated to begin at 1 p.m. at the Buddy Catlett Tennis Complex. Stats can be found on cneagles.com at the conclusion of the matches.
