Saturday, April 1
Tampa, FL
12:00 PM
SMU
vs
Tulane
Photo by: George Walker/DFWsportsonline
No. 50 SMU Men’s Tennis Set For Ranked Conference Matches vs. No. 43 Tulane, No. 54 South Florida
Mar 29 | Men's Tennis
No. 50 SMU (11-10) at No. 43 Tulane (11-8), No. 54 South Florida (11-9)
USF Varsity Tennis Courts – Tampa, Fla.
12 p.m. CT Saturday, Apr. 1 | 12:30 p.m. CT Sunday, Apr. 2
Season Stats
Live Stats | Live Stream
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SMU Mobile App | Apple | Google Play
TAMPA, Fla. (SMU)- No. 50 SMU men's tennis heads to Tampa, Florida for what promises to be an intense 48 hours with two ranked matchups against conference opponents - No. 43 Tulane and No. 54 South Florida. The Mustangs battle Tulane on Saturday followed by the host Bulls on Sunday. Both are at the USF Varsity Tennis Courts.
This will be SMU's fifth conference matchup this season, its first against Tulane. The Mustangs have claimed two straight between the two programs.
The Mustangs battled the Bulls just over two months ago in one of the most prestigious events of the spring season, the ITA Kickoff Weekend. Both SMU and USF came up short in the first round resulting in an early conference matchup in the consolation match. SMU would win the doubles point but ultimately fall 4-3 giving USF. The Mustangs have won two of the past three matchups.
Before the ITA Kickoff Weekend meeting, SMU defeated the fourth seed and then No. 41 ranked USF 4-2 in the semifinals of the AAC Championship Tournament on Apr. 23, 2022. The Mustangs would go on to claim its first AAC title and 10th conference championship with a 4-2 victory over second seed and then No. 36 ranked Memphis.
The Mustangs enter the weekend as the No. 50 ranked team in the nation. Adam Neff enters the ITA singles rankings for the first time this season at No. 64 following a pair for top-35 ranked victories. Neff and doubles partner, Pranav Kumar, remain in the doubles rankings at No. 69.
Tulane and USF pose a stiff challenge as both teams have maintained a top-75 ITA team ranking throughout 2023. Tulane features Fynn Kuenkler who is ranked No. 114 in the ITA singles rankings.
INSIDE THE MATCH
This is the seventh match away from home this season, all of those against teams ranked in the top 75. The Mustangs have not won a road match, but fell in close matches. Last time out, the Mustangs fell to then No. 33 Cal 5-2.
Series History: Tulane
All time: Tulane leads 9-6
Home Records: 3-3
Away Records: 2-4
Neutral Records: 2-2
First Meeting: 4-2, SMU Feb. 28, 2001
Last Meeting: 5-2, SMU Apr. 10, 2022
Current Winning Streak: W2 SMU
Series History: USF
All time: USF leads 9-4
Home Records: 2-3
Away Records: 1-2
Neutral Records: 0-4
First Meeting: 4-3, USF Apr. 7, 2013
Last Meeting: 4-3, USF Jan. 28, 2023
Current Winning Streak: W1 USF
MUSTANG MARK
Adam Neff was named the AAC Player of the Week on Tuesday, Mar. 21. Neff scored a pair of singles wins against top-35 players last week, extending his winning streak to six straight in singles. He captured a third-set tiebreaker to defeat the nation's No. 30-ranked player in a 5-2 setback to No. 33 California, taking a 6-7 (5), 6-4, 10-4 decision at No. 1 singles. He went on to get the clinching points in both doubles and singles in a 4-1 victory against No. 55 Tulsa, scoring a 7-5 win at No. 1 doubles and a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory at No. 1 singles against the No. 34-ranked player. Neff improved to 8-2 in singles matches in the dual match season, including three victories against ranked players.
Neff and doubles partner, Pranav Kumar joined forced again against No. 55 Tulsa. The duo clinched the doubles point to improve to a 5-4 record together at Court 1. Neff and Kumar hold three ranked victories together, most recently taking down the No. 12 duo from Baylor, putting them at the No. 69 spot in the ITA doubles rankings.
Antonio Muniz-Hidalgo picked up the Mustangs second point of the day against No. 55 Tulsa in straight sets on Court 3 improving to 8-6 on the season. Muniz-Hidalgo picked up his first match clincher of the season against No. 21 Cornell with a third set victory on Court 4.
Sophomore Louis Cloud holds a 8-6 record over the season. Cloud improves to three match-clinchers with a victory against Old Dominion on Court 6. Cloud picked up two singles wins for the Mustangs at the ITA Kickoff weekend going undefeated throughout the weekend. Since fall 2022, Cloud has gone 15-7.
Liam Krall and Kumar sit at seven wins each for the Mustangs. Krall improved to 7-6 after his straight set victory on Court 2 against Tulsa.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
No. 43 Tulane fell 4-3 to then No. 36 Oklahoma State on Mar. 26 resulting in its eight loss of the season.
No. 54 USF blanked conference opponent Wichita State 7-0 on Mar. 26 improving to its fifth straight match and sevenths on its last eight outings.
UP NEXT
The Mustangs have a full weekend ahead as they travel to Memphis, Tenn. for another back-to-back conference matchup against Wichita State on Apr. 8 at 1 p.m. followed by No. 38 Memphis on Apr. 9 at 11 a.m.
After the match against Memphis, the Mustangs will return to the Styslinger/ Altec Tennis Complex that same day for a 6 p.m. match against UT Dallas where the 2023 seniors will be honored.
SMU IN THE ITA RANKINGS
ITA Team Ranking (March 28 ranking)
50 SMU
ITA Team Ranking (March 21 ranking)
47 SMU
Men's Singles (March 14 ranking)
64 Adam Neff
Men's Doubles (March 14 ranking)
69 Pranav Kumar/ Adam Neff
ITA Team Ranking (March 14 ranking)
50 SMU
ITA Team Ranking (February 28 ranking)
75 SMU
ITA Team Ranking (February 21 ranking)
68 SMU
Men's Doubles (February 21 ranking)
55 Pranav Kumar/ Adam Neff
USF Varsity Tennis Courts – Tampa, Fla.
12 p.m. CT Saturday, Apr. 1 | 12:30 p.m. CT Sunday, Apr. 2
Season Stats
Live Stats | Live Stream
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
SMU Mobile App | Apple | Google Play
TAMPA, Fla. (SMU)- No. 50 SMU men's tennis heads to Tampa, Florida for what promises to be an intense 48 hours with two ranked matchups against conference opponents - No. 43 Tulane and No. 54 South Florida. The Mustangs battle Tulane on Saturday followed by the host Bulls on Sunday. Both are at the USF Varsity Tennis Courts.
This will be SMU's fifth conference matchup this season, its first against Tulane. The Mustangs have claimed two straight between the two programs.
The Mustangs battled the Bulls just over two months ago in one of the most prestigious events of the spring season, the ITA Kickoff Weekend. Both SMU and USF came up short in the first round resulting in an early conference matchup in the consolation match. SMU would win the doubles point but ultimately fall 4-3 giving USF. The Mustangs have won two of the past three matchups.
Before the ITA Kickoff Weekend meeting, SMU defeated the fourth seed and then No. 41 ranked USF 4-2 in the semifinals of the AAC Championship Tournament on Apr. 23, 2022. The Mustangs would go on to claim its first AAC title and 10th conference championship with a 4-2 victory over second seed and then No. 36 ranked Memphis.
The Mustangs enter the weekend as the No. 50 ranked team in the nation. Adam Neff enters the ITA singles rankings for the first time this season at No. 64 following a pair for top-35 ranked victories. Neff and doubles partner, Pranav Kumar, remain in the doubles rankings at No. 69.
Tulane and USF pose a stiff challenge as both teams have maintained a top-75 ITA team ranking throughout 2023. Tulane features Fynn Kuenkler who is ranked No. 114 in the ITA singles rankings.
INSIDE THE MATCH
This is the seventh match away from home this season, all of those against teams ranked in the top 75. The Mustangs have not won a road match, but fell in close matches. Last time out, the Mustangs fell to then No. 33 Cal 5-2.
Series History: Tulane
All time: Tulane leads 9-6
Home Records: 3-3
Away Records: 2-4
Neutral Records: 2-2
First Meeting: 4-2, SMU Feb. 28, 2001
Last Meeting: 5-2, SMU Apr. 10, 2022
Current Winning Streak: W2 SMU
Series History: USF
All time: USF leads 9-4
Home Records: 2-3
Away Records: 1-2
Neutral Records: 0-4
First Meeting: 4-3, USF Apr. 7, 2013
Last Meeting: 4-3, USF Jan. 28, 2023
Current Winning Streak: W1 USF
MUSTANG MARK
Adam Neff was named the AAC Player of the Week on Tuesday, Mar. 21. Neff scored a pair of singles wins against top-35 players last week, extending his winning streak to six straight in singles. He captured a third-set tiebreaker to defeat the nation's No. 30-ranked player in a 5-2 setback to No. 33 California, taking a 6-7 (5), 6-4, 10-4 decision at No. 1 singles. He went on to get the clinching points in both doubles and singles in a 4-1 victory against No. 55 Tulsa, scoring a 7-5 win at No. 1 doubles and a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory at No. 1 singles against the No. 34-ranked player. Neff improved to 8-2 in singles matches in the dual match season, including three victories against ranked players.
Neff and doubles partner, Pranav Kumar joined forced again against No. 55 Tulsa. The duo clinched the doubles point to improve to a 5-4 record together at Court 1. Neff and Kumar hold three ranked victories together, most recently taking down the No. 12 duo from Baylor, putting them at the No. 69 spot in the ITA doubles rankings.
Antonio Muniz-Hidalgo picked up the Mustangs second point of the day against No. 55 Tulsa in straight sets on Court 3 improving to 8-6 on the season. Muniz-Hidalgo picked up his first match clincher of the season against No. 21 Cornell with a third set victory on Court 4.
Sophomore Louis Cloud holds a 8-6 record over the season. Cloud improves to three match-clinchers with a victory against Old Dominion on Court 6. Cloud picked up two singles wins for the Mustangs at the ITA Kickoff weekend going undefeated throughout the weekend. Since fall 2022, Cloud has gone 15-7.
Liam Krall and Kumar sit at seven wins each for the Mustangs. Krall improved to 7-6 after his straight set victory on Court 2 against Tulsa.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
No. 43 Tulane fell 4-3 to then No. 36 Oklahoma State on Mar. 26 resulting in its eight loss of the season.
No. 54 USF blanked conference opponent Wichita State 7-0 on Mar. 26 improving to its fifth straight match and sevenths on its last eight outings.
UP NEXT
The Mustangs have a full weekend ahead as they travel to Memphis, Tenn. for another back-to-back conference matchup against Wichita State on Apr. 8 at 1 p.m. followed by No. 38 Memphis on Apr. 9 at 11 a.m.
After the match against Memphis, the Mustangs will return to the Styslinger/ Altec Tennis Complex that same day for a 6 p.m. match against UT Dallas where the 2023 seniors will be honored.
SMU IN THE ITA RANKINGS
ITA Team Ranking (March 28 ranking)
50 SMU
ITA Team Ranking (March 21 ranking)
47 SMU
Men's Singles (March 14 ranking)
64 Adam Neff
Men's Doubles (March 14 ranking)
69 Pranav Kumar/ Adam Neff
ITA Team Ranking (March 14 ranking)
50 SMU
ITA Team Ranking (February 28 ranking)
75 SMU
ITA Team Ranking (February 21 ranking)
68 SMU
Men's Doubles (February 21 ranking)
55 Pranav Kumar/ Adam Neff
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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/ Men's Tennis
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