No. 5 Mississippi State Hosts No. 61 Tennessee in SEC Men’s Tennis Showdown

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State, ranked fifth in the nation, hosts No. 61 Tennessee on Friday at 3 p.m. CT at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre. The Bulldogs aim to extend their winning streak after recent victories over ranked opponents, including No. 18 Auburn and No. 37 Vanderbilt, according to school officials.

Mississippi State enters the match with momentum following a 4-3 victory in Knoxville earlier this season. The Bulldogs, led by head coach Matt Roberts, who holds the program record with 223 wins, feature a strong lineup led by senior Petar Jovanovic. Jovanovic, ranked eighth nationally in singles, has 188 career singles and doubles victories, just one shy of the program record held by Nuno Borges.

The Bulldogs boast five players in the ITA singles rankings and three doubles teams in the top 100. Jovanovic teams with Benito Sanchez Martinez as the No. 5 doubles duo nationally. The team also includes other ranked singles players, such as Mario Martinez Serrano and Niccolo Baroni.

Tennessee leads the all-time series 39-23 but lost the most recent match 4-3 in Knoxville. The Volunteers hold an 18-9 advantage in Starkville. Mississippi State has won the last two meetings between the teams.

Mississippi State’s season highlights include a top-five victory over Stanford and success against other ranked opponents. The Bulldogs have a balanced roster with all players posting winning records at singles. Fans can follow live updates and stats for the match via the school’s official channels.

Source: Original Article