NEW YORK – The seventh-ranked Tennessee men’s tennis team is set for another top-10 road tilt Friday, taking on No. 10 Columbia at 6:30 p.m. ET inside Philip and Cheryl Milstein Tennis Center.
Tennessee (7-1) arrives in the Big Apple for its final match before the ITA National Indoor Championships. Live stats and live streaming will not be available Friday. Follow @Vol_Tennis on Twitter for match updates.
LAST TIME OUT
The Vols dropped a hard-fought match, 4-3, to No. 2 TCU in Fort Worth on Feb. 4. Despite the loss, Shunsuke Mitsui shined at the No. 2 spot, defeating fourth-ranked Jack Pinnington in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2. Filip Pieczonka notched his first victory over a ranked opponent in a 7-6(5), 6-4 effort over No. 20 Pedro Vives on court three.
SCOUTING COLUMBIA
Friday’s match marks the fourth all-time meeting between the Vols and the Lions, who each claim two wins in the rivalry.
This season, Columbia (4-1) opened its dual slate with wins over No. 25 North Carolina, Fairfield (DH), and NC State. The Lions lost to No. 9 Wake Forest, 5-2, in Winston-Salem on Feb. 2.
No. 15 Michael Zheng, playing atop Columbia’s lineup, is 4-1 in 2024 and posted a 16-5 record last dual match season, earning him Ivy League Player of the Year accolades as a freshman. No. 101 Alex Kotzen, appearing at the No. 3 and 4 spots, boasts a 4-1 singles record so far this season after going 16-5 in 2023.
Nicholas Kotzen and Max Westphal, ranked 24th in doubles, are 4-1 in 2024 at the No. 1 spot and registered a 5-1 record as a pair last season.
VOLS IN THE RANKINGS
Singles
9 – Johannus Monday
16 – Shunsuke Mitsui
66 – Filip Pieczonka
Doubles
9 – Johannus Monday/Angel Diaz
28 – Shunsuke Mitsui/Filip Pieczonka
LIONS IN THE RANKINGS
Singles
15 – Michael Zheng
101 – Alex Kotzen
Doubles
24 – Nicolas Kotzen/Max Westphal
54 – Roko Horvat/Hugo Hashimoto
HOT START FOR SHUN
Shunsuke Mitsui is off to an impressive 12-0 start on the singles courts, dating to fall action. The junior has defeated four ranked opponents while holding the longest winning streak of the 2023-24 squad. With his win over TCU’s Jack Pinnington, Mitsui is now on the longest singles winning streak of his collegiate career.
UNDEFEATED IN SINGLES
Filip Pieczonka, along with Mitsui, are both undefeated in singles competition through UT’s first eight matches of the dual season.
MILESTONE TRACKER
● Johannus Monday is one win shy of earning his…
Tennessee (7-1) arrives in the Big Apple for its final match before the ITA National Indoor Championships. Live stats and live streaming will not be available Friday. Follow @Vol_Tennis on Twitter for match updates.
LAST TIME OUT
The Vols dropped a hard-fought match, 4-3, to No. 2 TCU in Fort Worth on Feb. 4. Despite the loss, Shunsuke Mitsui shined at the No. 2 spot, defeating fourth-ranked Jack Pinnington in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2. Filip Pieczonka notched his first victory over a ranked opponent in a 7-6(5), 6-4 effort over No. 20 Pedro Vives on court three.
SCOUTING COLUMBIA
Friday’s match marks the fourth all-time meeting between the Vols and the Lions, who each claim two wins in the rivalry.
This season, Columbia (4-1) opened its dual slate with wins over No. 25 North Carolina, Fairfield (DH), and NC State. The Lions lost to No. 9 Wake Forest, 5-2, in Winston-Salem on Feb. 2.
No. 15 Michael Zheng, playing atop Columbia’s lineup, is 4-1 in 2024 and posted a 16-5 record last dual match season, earning him Ivy League Player of the Year accolades as a freshman. No. 101 Alex Kotzen, appearing at the No. 3 and 4 spots, boasts a 4-1 singles record so far this season after going 16-5 in 2023.
Nicholas Kotzen and Max Westphal, ranked 24th in doubles, are 4-1 in 2024 at the No. 1 spot and registered a 5-1 record as a pair last season.
VOLS IN THE RANKINGS
Singles
9 – Johannus Monday
16 – Shunsuke Mitsui
66 – Filip Pieczonka
Doubles
9 – Johannus Monday/Angel Diaz
28 – Shunsuke Mitsui/Filip Pieczonka
LIONS IN THE RANKINGS
Singles
15 – Michael Zheng
101 – Alex Kotzen
Doubles
24 – Nicolas Kotzen/Max Westphal
54 – Roko Horvat/Hugo Hashimoto
HOT START FOR SHUN
Shunsuke Mitsui is off to an impressive 12-0 start on the singles courts, dating to fall action. The junior has defeated four ranked opponents while holding the longest winning streak of the 2023-24 squad. With his win over TCU’s Jack Pinnington, Mitsui is now on the longest singles winning streak of his collegiate career.
UNDEFEATED IN SINGLES
Filip Pieczonka, along with Mitsui, are both undefeated in singles competition through UT’s first eight matches of the dual season.
MILESTONE TRACKER
● Johannus Monday is one win shy of earning his…
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