Samuel Earns Back-to-back SEC Player of the Week Honors
Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina men’s tennis junior Toby Samuel was named the SEC’s Co-Player of the Week this week alongside Tennessee’s Johannus Monday. This is Samuel’s second consecutive week achieving the accolade, having earned the title last week as well.
Samuel was perfect for a second straight weekend of SEC play, going 2-0 in both doubles and singles this past week.
Against No. 45 LSU, Samuel clinched the doubles point alongside partner Connor Thomson with a 6-4 win from the No. 1 position. In singles, Samuel again played at the top spot of the lineup where he took down No. 55 Ronald Hohmann in straight sets 7-5, 6-1.
Against No. 14 Mississippi State, Samuel and Thomson again recorded a win from the No. 1 position, defeating No. 26 Carles Hernandez and Nemanja Malesevic with a dominating 6-1 performance. In singles, Samuel went on earn another dominating win, taking down No. 125 Malesevic 6-2, 6-2.
Samuel is now 19-3 overall in singles with a 14-2 mark in dual play including a 4-1 record against SEC opponents. He is on a five-match win streak with the last four wins coming over ranked foes. He has an 11-3 record against ranked opponents this season with ten of his ranked wins coming in straight sets. For his performances this season, Samuel has now moved up to a new career-high ranking of No. 3 in the nation.
In doubles, Samuel holds on to the No. 1 ranking with his 18-1 overall record. He is 11-1 in dual doubles and a perfect 4-0 in SEC play, all from the top spot in the lineup. He is 9-1 against ranked doubles opponents and has clinched the doubles point seven times this season. Samuel is currently on a nine-match doubles win streak with five ranked wins including two in the top-10.
South Carolina has now claimed Player of the Week honors during five of the nine weeks of the award this season. Thomson earned the award during the first week of the season, junior James Story earned the award during the fourth and seventh weeks of the season, and Samuel has now claimed the award for the eighth and ninth weeks.
South Carolina, with their five weekly honors, is the only team in the league with more than two Player of the Week accolades this season. Story and Samuel are the only players in the league to earn the award multiple times this season. Other schools with Players of the Week in 2023 include Florida (2), Kentucky (2), Auburn (1), and Tennessee (1).
The Gamecock men’s tennis team will continue SEC action this weekend at home, hosting No. 18 Auburn on Fri., March 24 at 5:00 p.m. before welcoming No. 55 Arkansas to the Carolina Tennis Center on Sun., March 26 at noon.
For all the latest South Carolina men’s tennis information, continue to follow GamecocksOnline.com or the team on social media (@GamecockMTennis).
