Video: Jim Frederick Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Opening weekend for Carson-Newman tennis comes 331 days after their 2019-20 season was cut short on March 12, 2020. This weekend, the Eagles look forward to a matchup a decade in the making to start off the spring 2021 schedule strong.
"It's been a long time since we've competed. It has been hard since we were not able to get those five Fall competitions as usual," head coach Jim Frederick said. "This season is something we are experiencing for the first time, and it is not just us dealing with it. I know the players are anxious as am I."
Saturday's head-to-head season opener against Union (Ky.) is the first matchup between the Eagles and Bulldogs since March 2011 where the Eagles fell 7-2 on the men's side. Overall, the Eagles are a combined 2-3 against the Union squads.
Last season, the Bulldogs men's tennis team played its way to a 4-4 record as an NAIA member of the Southern States Athletic Conference. This year, both sides were selected to finish fifth in the SSAC preseason coaches' poll.
In their shortened season last year, the Eagles came away with a .500 record of 5-5, starting the spring 2020 season with a four-match winning streak from Jan. 31 to Feb. 09 before the season was cut short in March.
Despite the abrupt stop, Frederick has seen some potential for his team that will feature a flurry of men stepping up and playing a position (singles and doubles) which they may not have seen before, due to unforseen circumstances.
"Overall, this is the best schedule we've played in my three years as coach here. We have to build a schedule that attracts the type of players we want to have here," Frederick said. "Playing a team we haven't played in a while starts this process and I'm excited. Advantage of playing indoors is the certainty of always playing. Playing indoors attracts better teams to come as they don't have to worry about the weather."
Opening serve from the Knoxville Racquet Club is set for Saturday at 2 p.m. against the Bulldogs.
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