Razorbacks looking for help from back of rotation
Jimmy Carter
Issue date: 2/13/09 Section: Sports
As his team prepares to host the Razorback Invitational this weekend, Arkansas men's tennis coach Robert Cox said his main concern is improving the production in the Nos. 5 and 6 single spots.
"That's the key," Cox said. "The bottom half of our lineup, at five and six, we've really been struggling trying to find some guys that'll step up and play big in close situations, and we haven't found it yet. This weekend - that's what I'm going to really be concerned with."
Through four dual meet matches, the No. 47 Hogs carry a 2-6 record from those two spots while the first four positions are a combined 11-5. While there are only two spots to fill, Cox said the competition for those spots is fierce.
"We've got a junior, Bradwin Williams; got a senior, Connor Smith; we have sophomore Tyler Tarnasky; and [we've] got a junior, Taylor King," Cox said. "[It's] out of those four guys and then freshman Nikolas Zogaj and Nick Spinazze, another sophomore.
"Those guys have been through a few wars and any of those two guys need to step up. We're just going to really look at practice this week and tomorrow and see who we feel's our best chance."
The first four spots are the unquestioned strength of the team, led by 15th-ranked Blake Strode.
"[Strode's] a great senior and he's a great leader for us," Cox said. "When you've got one of the nation's best players, it kind of makes everybody feel good - feel very good in that top four, and those top four also comprise our top two doubles teams."
Chris Nott and Dmitry Lebedev round out the top four and - along with Hogan - are interchangeable, Cox said.
"Chris has been playing well," Cox said. "Matt Hogan has been playing well, and they're almost interchangeable at two and three. In fact, I could probably add old Dmitry Lebedev in that little equation, too, and just rotate them around."
The Hogs will be looking for strong performances from all six single positions as they host Oregon, Pacific and Cowley Community College over the weekend.
"Oregon and Pacific both are well-coached teams," Cox said. "Oregon's a very highly spirited team, and they've got great doubles. I think [both teams] are kind of where we were a week ago; they're kind of searching for their identity, too."
The Razorbacks (2-2) experienced a setback to start the season after seeing their first weekend of action wiped out by the ice storm. They went to the ITA National Indoor meet without any game experience and subsequently lost to No. 5 Virginia and No. 34 Wisconsin.
The Hogs also have had to battle the flu, but after last weekend's relatively easy road wins over Illinois State and Purdue, Cox said his team is fully caught up and ready to play this weekend.
"We are caught up now," Cox said. "Now that we've been on the court and had four dual matches, we're comfortable. We're going to go into it [this weekend] guarded, but yet we're going into it very confident."
"That's the key," Cox said. "The bottom half of our lineup, at five and six, we've really been struggling trying to find some guys that'll step up and play big in close situations, and we haven't found it yet. This weekend - that's what I'm going to really be concerned with."
Through four dual meet matches, the No. 47 Hogs carry a 2-6 record from those two spots while the first four positions are a combined 11-5. While there are only two spots to fill, Cox said the competition for those spots is fierce.
"We've got a junior, Bradwin Williams; got a senior, Connor Smith; we have sophomore Tyler Tarnasky; and [we've] got a junior, Taylor King," Cox said. "[It's] out of those four guys and then freshman Nikolas Zogaj and Nick Spinazze, another sophomore.
"Those guys have been through a few wars and any of those two guys need to step up. We're just going to really look at practice this week and tomorrow and see who we feel's our best chance."
The first four spots are the unquestioned strength of the team, led by 15th-ranked Blake Strode.
"[Strode's] a great senior and he's a great leader for us," Cox said. "When you've got one of the nation's best players, it kind of makes everybody feel good - feel very good in that top four, and those top four also comprise our top two doubles teams."
Chris Nott and Dmitry Lebedev round out the top four and - along with Hogan - are interchangeable, Cox said.
"Chris has been playing well," Cox said. "Matt Hogan has been playing well, and they're almost interchangeable at two and three. In fact, I could probably add old Dmitry Lebedev in that little equation, too, and just rotate them around."
The Hogs will be looking for strong performances from all six single positions as they host Oregon, Pacific and Cowley Community College over the weekend.
"Oregon and Pacific both are well-coached teams," Cox said. "Oregon's a very highly spirited team, and they've got great doubles. I think [both teams] are kind of where we were a week ago; they're kind of searching for their identity, too."
The Razorbacks (2-2) experienced a setback to start the season after seeing their first weekend of action wiped out by the ice storm. They went to the ITA National Indoor meet without any game experience and subsequently lost to No. 5 Virginia and No. 34 Wisconsin.
The Hogs also have had to battle the flu, but after last weekend's relatively easy road wins over Illinois State and Purdue, Cox said his team is fully caught up and ready to play this weekend.
"We are caught up now," Cox said. "Now that we've been on the court and had four dual matches, we're comfortable. We're going to go into it [this weekend] guarded, but yet we're going into it very confident."
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