April 16, 2015
Live Match Updates | Season Statistics & Results
THE FLATS – Georgia Tech’s men’s tennis team finishes its home schedule this weekend with another pair of top-15 Atlantic Coast Conference teams, No. 15 North Carolina at 4 p.m. Friday and No. 8 Duke at noon Sunday.
MATCH INFORMATION – Admission is free to both matches. Due to Tech’s spring football game and a large track meet Tech is hosting Friday night, fans for the tennis match must park in the Family Housing facility on 10th Street next door to the Turner Broadcasting campus. Parking for Sunday’s match is available in the McCamish Pavilion lot or along Fowler Street South of 8th Street.
SENIOR DAY – Eduardo Segura is playing the final home matches of his career this weekend. The senior from Madrid, Spain is enjoying his finest year, compiling a team-best 26-13 overall record in singles, including an 11-8 mark in dual matches this spring while playing mostly between the third through sixth positions in the lineup. Segura enters this weekend with 57 singles wins and 54 doubles wins, the majority of those with fellow Spaniard Carlos Benito. A Dean’s List student in five of seven semesters, Segura will graduate with honors in May with his degree in business administration.
“Eddie’s improved every year, and it’s nice to see him finish out strong. That’s what you hope for. He’s done a great job on the court, and an incredible job in the classroom, having him graduate with honors is an incredible accomplishment,” said Tech coach Kenny Thorne.
TEAM UPDATES – Georgia Tech (11-10, 3-7 ACC) has lost its last six ACC matches, all to opponents ranked No. 36 or higher. The Yellow Jackets would be the 10th seed in the ACC Championship if the tournament began this week. North Carolina (17-9, 6-4 ACC) holds sixth place in the ACC standings, while Duke (20-4, 7-3) is tied with Wake Forest for third place. The Blue Devils visit Louisville Friday before coming to Atlanta, while the Tar Heels close out their regular season Sunday at Clemson. The ACC Championship begins next Wednesday in Cary, N.C.
SINGLES UPDATE – Freshman Christopher Eubanks (Atlanta, Ga.), who has played at the top of Tech’s lineup in 11 matches this spring, is ranked 62nd in this week’s ITA singles rankings. The freshman has three wins over opponents ranked in the top 20 and is 6-7 at the top spot, 13-8 in dual matches overall. Sophomore Carlos Benito (Madrid, Spain), who is 16-6 this spring, has played every spot in the lineup except No. 1, and has a 3-4 mark at his current No. 2 position.
Junior Nathan Rakitt (Marietta, Ga.), sophomore Cole Fiegel (Alachua, Fla.), freshman Michael Kay (Alpharetta, Ga.) and senior Eduardo Segura (Madrid, Spain) are currently 3-through-6 in the lineup. Fiegel has had a strong spring with a 14-7 dual match record, while Segura is 11-8 in dual matches and a team-best 26-13 in singles for the year.
DOUBLES UPDATE – Tech has won the doubles point in 11 of 21 matches this spring, but has lost the point in six straight matches. Eubanks and Kay played No. 1 last the last two weekends for the Jackets, and are 2-3 at that position, 9-8 overall this spring. Benito and Segura are at No. 2 with a six-match losing streak and a 9-9 record, still ranked 88th in the nation, while Rakitt and Fiegel are 5-1 at No. 3, 6-3 overall this spring.
HEAD COACH Kenny Thorne SAYS – “With the way the schedule has played out (highest ranked teams at the end), it may be hard to see how much better we have gotten. But I feel like we have improved in a lot of different areas with guys’ games. My excitement for this weekend is our guys believe they can win and still break through.”
ABOUT GEORGIA TECH MEN’S TENNIS
Georgia Tech’s men’s tennis team is in its 17th year under head coach Kenny Thorne. The Yellow Jackets have played in the NCAA Championship 14 times. Connect with Georgia Tech Men’s Tennis on social media by liking their Facebook page, or following on Twitter (@GT_MTEN). For more information on Tech men’s tennis, visit Ramblinwreck.com.
