The Gators men’s tennis team dropped 25 spots in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings during February and now sits at No. 35.
After being worn down against Baylor in a grueling four-hour dual-match on Saturday, Florida has lost four consecutive matches.
UF looks to get its swagger back when they host Southeastern Conference newcomer No. 11 Texas A&M on Sunday.
“I wish there were more hours in the week, more hours in the day, and an unlimited amount of energy to focus on becoming what I believe this team is capable of,” coach Bryan Shelton said.
Four consecutive doubles points lost by the Gators troubled the team during their four-match losing streak. The team continues to rotate lineups due to injuries, which has caused inconsistent play from the tandems.
Florida will have its hands full in doubles against the Aggies, who have two top-25 pairs.
Junior Ore and Jackson Withrow are ranked 17th while Harrison Adams and Shane Vinsant rank 21st.
“You have to know each other’s strengths when you’re paired with someone who you usually don’t play with,” Shelton said. “Doubles is not a complicated game. No matter who you’re paired with, it comes down to serving and returning well.”
Singles won’t be easier for the Gators. Florent Diep, Florida’s highest-ranked singles player, is coming off a loss that took more than three hours.
Upperclassmen Diep and Bob van Overbeek have struggled as of late. Diep has lost four consecutive matches, while van Overbeek has lost five. They will most likely square off against the freshmen Adams and Vinsant.
The pair has accounted for 37 of 42 points in singles and lead the team with eight victories a piece. Some of the team, including Diep and van Overbeek, had to give presentations to the coaches and the rest of the team to show how they were going to perform in different situations.
“We had the guys draw up diagrams of how they were going to execute in the critical points,” Shelton said. “As a team we are going to hold these guys accountable on Sunday when we get in game situations.”
Junior Florent Diep strikes the ball during Florida’s 5-2 victory against Miami on Jan. 19 at Linder Stadium.
