Duke Hits the Road Again at Clemson, Georgia Tech Beginning Friday

Match 17
Duke at [54] Clemson – Friday at 5 p.m.
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Match 18

Duke vs. [68] Georgia Tech – Sunday at Noon

Live Results

 

DURHAM – No. 15 Duke men’s tennis hits the road again beginning Friday when it travels to face No. 54 Clemson and No. 68 Georgia Tech.

The Blue Devils are slated to battle the Tigers on Friday at 5 p.m. at the Duckworth Family Tennis Center, before traveling to meet up with the Yellowjackets on Sunday at noon at the Byers Tennis Complex.

 

Duke is looking to bounce back after a 1-1 weekend in which it defeated No. 63 Virginia Tech but fell at No. 12 Virginia. Senior Garrett Johns holds a 9-6 dual match ledger on the Blue Devils’ top court and is listed No. 17 nationally in singles play in the most recent ITA rankings. Rookie Pedro Rodenas leads the team with a 14-2 dual record and is ranked No. 98 heading into the weekend. In addition, two doubles teams are ranked for Duke with seniors Michael Heller and Andrew Zhang at No. 54 and Johns and Rodenas at No. 71.

HISTORY WITH NO. 54 CLEMSON

Friday’s contest will be the 79th all-time meeting between the two programs with the Blue Devils holding the 47-31 edge on the series. The Tigers won the teams’ last meeting a year ago, 4-3, in the ACC Tournament but the Blue Devils had won 14-of-15 matchups prior to that.

SCOUTING THE TIGERS

Clemson brings a 10-6 overall record into Friday’s contest but has only won one of its last four outings. The Tigers are coming off a 5-2 victory at Boston College on March 17 during its last match. Redshirt sophomore Matt Pitts and redshirt freshman Nini Dica lead the team with eight wins during dual singles action, while junior Ryuhei Azuma is 6-4 on the Tigers’ main court. The sophomore-junior duo of Maxwell Smith and Spencer Whitaker are listed as the No. 74 doubles pairing nationally heading into the weekend and sit with a 4-2 overall record.

 

HISTORY WITH NO. 68 GEORGIA TECH

The Blue Devils and Yellowjackets have faced off 66 previous times with Duke leading the all-time series at 47-19. Duke won the teams’ last meeting a year ago, 5-2, in Durham and have won three of the previous four matchups with Georgia Tech.

SCOUTING THE YELLOWJACKETS

Georgia Tech brings an 11-7 record into Sunday’s contest, including two-straight wins against Clemson and Boston College. Three Yellowjackets…