Top-15 Matchup Scheduled for Thursday
Columbia, S.C. – No. 13/14 South Carolina men’s tennis will wrap up its season-opening home stand hosting No. 6/8 Wake Forest on Thursday at 5 p.m. The match will be at the Carolina Indoor Tennis Center located at 523 Superior St. Doors will open at 4 p.m.
Admission is free and open to the public. Masks are required for all spectators in accordance with University policy. Live scoring will be provided on GamecocksOnline.com
Head Coach Josh Goffi on the Match
“This is the first time that we’re going to play someone that’s ranked ahead of us this year. It’s a different type of pressure. We have the opportunity to go get something; the boys are getting excited for this one. It’s been a while since we’ve hosted Wake Forest, so we’re happy to have them here in our new facility. Hopefully we’ll have a good match with them, and it’s a great opportunity to get ready for National Indoors.”
Gamecock Notables
- The Gamecocks have won eight straight matches to start the 2022 season. Their two wins during ITA Kickoff Weekend qualified them for the ITA Indoor National Championships in Seattle, Wash., Feb. 18-21.
- South Carolina boasts two ranked doubles pairs in the latest ITA National Rankings. Connor Thomson and Daniel Rodrigues come in at No. 5, while Jake Beasley and Toby Samuel come in at No. 53.
- Rodrigues has moved up from No. 29 to No. 14 in the latest rankings. He is undefeated on the season from the No. 1 position and holds ranked wins over Nos. 9, 76, and 109. Rodrigues was named SEC Player of the Week for week three of the season.
- Thomson made his first appearance in the regular-season poll at No. 97. He is undefeated in singles and holds a ranked win over No. 38.
Scouting the Demon Deacons
- Wake Forest is 13-1 on the season with its only loss coming to No. 1 Tennessee in Knoxville.
- The team has three ranked wins on the season – over No.7 Georgia, No. 16 Michigan, and No. 25 UCF.
- The Demon Deacons boast six ranked singles players and two ranked doubles pairs in the latest ITA National Rankings.
- Wake is lead by fifth-year senior Eduardo Nava, who is ranked No. 71 in the country and was recently named ACC Player of the Week.
For all the latest South Carolina men’s tennis information, continue to follow GamecocksOnline.com or the team on social media (@GamecockMTennis).
