Golden Hurricane Aim to Extend Winning Streak at #8 TCU, #3 Texas This Weekend

Match Notes (PDF) | TCU Match (Live Stats | Live Stream) | Texas Match (Live Stats | Live Stream)

TULSA, Okla. - The Tulsa men's tennis team starts a five-match stretch against teams from the Big 12 Conference this weekend, starting with road matches against eighth-ranked TCU and third-ranked Texas. The Golden Hurricane (10-5) begin their weekend facing the Horned Frogs (9-4) on Friday at 5:30 p.m., followed by the Longhorns (10-3) at 11 a.m. on Sunday.

Last weekend, the Hurricane went 3-1 in competition. Tulsa opened play on the road at then-No. 18 Texas Tech in a 4-1 loss. TU took an early 1-0 lead behind wins at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles, respectively. Connor Di Marco and Kody Pearson secured a 6-4 win at No. 1 doubles, Jarod Hing and Tom Thelwall-Jones clinched the doubles point in the No. 2 slot, 7-6(4). But Red Raiders would go onto win four singles matches to secure the win. won four straight in singles as Tulsa fell, 4-1. The Hurricane rebounded that evening with a 4-0 blanking of New Mexico State (4-0), followed by back-to-back home wins over Omaha (4-3) and Oral Roberts (4-0) on Sunday.

On Tuesday, the Oracle Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division I Men's Doubles Rankings increased from 40 doubles tandems to 80. With the increase, Di Marco and Pearson earned their first doubles ranking of the season at No. 61 overall. The Australian duo is undefeated on the year with a 7-0 overall record in their dual matches, including a 6-0 mark in the No. 1 spot. Pearson was also ranked No. 61 overall in the singles poll.

This marks the 23rd meeting between the two programs since 2000. Over that time, the series has gone even at 11-11, with the Hurricane snapping a five-match losing streak to TCU at Michael D. Case Tennis Center last year, 4-2. Pearson upset then-No. 65 Bertus Kruger (3-6, 6-4, 6-4) at No. 4 singles. Stefan Hampe would pull off a straight-sets win over then-No. 69 Eduardo Roldan at No. 6 singles, 7-6(1), 6-2.

TCU features four players in the singles top 125 - No. 30 Alastair Gray, No. 77 Luc Fomba, No. 105 Tadeas Paroulek and No. 119 Jacob Fearnley. In doubles, Gray and Fearnley sit at No. 27 overall, while Sander Jong and Paroulek are the No. 55-ranked tandem.

The reigning Division I champion Longhorns have suffered their lone three losses to teams in the top 15. Sunday's meeting stands as the 21st matchup between the two programs since 2000. Of the 20 matches that went final over the past decades, Texas holds a 17-2 advantage. Last season, Texas claimed its second straight win over Tulsa, 6-1. The lone Hurricane point came at No. 4 singles, as Pearson took down Harrison Scott, 6-4, 7-6(5).

Texas is just one of two teams to have multiple singles players ranked in the top 10. Yuya Ito, the 2019 Saint Francis Health System ITA Men's All-American Singles Champion, is second overall, followed sixth-ranked Christian Sigsgaard. Siem Woldeab stands at No. 44 overall. In doubles, Texas is led by ninth-ranked Sigsgaard and Ito, while Sigsgaard and Woldeab are slotted at No. 32 in the poll. When Ito is the top doubles player alongside Sigsgaard, they are the No. 74-ranked duo in the nation.

Fans can follow both matches via live stats and live stream.

For all Tulsa men's tennis news and information, visit TulsaHurricane.com. Be sure to follow the team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Golden Hurricane Aim to Extend Winning Streak at #8 TCU, #3 Texas This Weekend

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Players Mentioned

Connor Di Marco

Stefan Hampe

Jarod Hing

Kody Pearson

Tom Thelwall-Jones