April 8, 2010

COLUMBIA, S.C. – No. 43 South Carolina men’s tennis closes out its home schedule this weekend, capped by Sunday’s celebration of head coach Kent DeMars’ 26-year career at the helm of the Gamecock program and of the three seniors playing in the final home match of their careers. The Gamecocks (9-9, 1-7 SEC) open the weekend at Maxcy Gregg Tennis Center with a 2 p.m. match on Fri., Apr. 9, against No. 8 Georgia (16-4, 8-0 SEC) before hosting No. 4 Tennessee (20-1, 8-0 SEC) on Sun., Apr. 11, at 1 p.m.

South Carolina’s three seniors – Pedro Campos, Ivan Cressoni and Diego Cubas – will lead the Gamecocks into the final full weekend of the regular season. Campos, ranked No. 79 in the nation, continues his stellar singles play this season as two more wins last weekend lifted his record to 15-1 on the season, including a perfect 7-0 slate against SEC opponents. Cubas, playing the No. 1 singles position and ranked 37th in the country, boasts a 17-12 overall record this season. Cressoni has settled into the No. 3 singles spot for South Carolina in the last four matches.

Georgia has a pair of players comfortable in the No. 1 singles position between Javier Garrapiz and Nate Schnugg, both of whom are 4-6 when playing that spot in the lineup. Garrapiz is ranked No. 22 in the country behind a 25-15 overall record, although he is just 10-9 in dual matches this season. Schnugg is No. 86 in the nation with a 20-13 slate, including an 11-8 mark in dual-match play. The senior teams with Jamie Hunt to form the nation’s No. 42 doubles tandem, which is 17-9 overall this season, including an 8-7 mark as the Bulldogs’ No. 1 team.

Tennessee boasts five players ranked among the nation’s top singles performers this season, led by No. 2 John-Patrick Smith, who enters the week with a 33-5 overall record, including a 15-1 mark in the No. 1 slot in the Vols’ singles lineup. Boris Conkic is 26th in the nation behind a 25-7 record, highlighted by a 12-3 mark in the No. 2 singles spot. Playing third in the Tennessee lineup, Rhyne Williams is ranked 49th in the country with a 30-6 record, and Tennys Sandgren comes in at No. 111 in the nation behind a 16-4 slate. Matt Brewer is just a step behind in 112th position with a 19-10 record, including an 8-4 mark in the No. 5 spot in the Vols’ lineup. Tennessee’s top two doubles teams are among the nation’s top five as well. Smith and Davey Sandgren are ranked No. 2 in the nation with a 29-5 record that features a 16-2 mark in the No. 1 doubles position. Conkic and Williams combine to form the nation’s fourth-ranked duo behind a 26-3 overall record, including a 16-1 slate in the No. 2 spot.

In the all-time series between the two schools, Georgia leads South Carolina 30-6 after winning the last five meetings. Against Tennessee, the Gamecocks are 18-26 all-time with the Vols winning the last three matchups.