After a two-week break, the No. 4 Blue Devils will play their first outdoor match of the season Tuesday at Ambler Tennis Stadium against Virginia Commonwealth at 2 p.m.
Duke (11-2) is coming off a 2-1 performance at the ITA National Team Indoors that included a loss to top-ranked Virginia and a win against then-No. 5 Pepperdine. And the difficult opponents continue with the outdoor season against the No. 28 Rams (11-3).
“I think the break was really good for us,” Blue Devil head coach Ramsey Smith said. “We were battling some injuries, so we were able to rest up for a week and do some conditioning and get a good week of practice outside.”
Duke is looking to maintain focus and intensity right from the start of the match to produce an early lead against the Rams. Winning the doubles point will be one of the Blue Devils’ main focuses, in the hopes that the momentum will carry over to singles play.
The doubles pair of sophomore Jason Tahir and freshman Michael Redlicki, ranked No. 9 in the nation, is eager to showcase its abilities outdoors and prepare for the NCAA tournament, which will take place outside.
“We’re been working really hard the past week,” Tahir said. “We’re a team that plays better outside, and all we can do is keep improving.”
Although the men are confident in their outdoor abilities and past results, they expect a lot from VCU. Tahir said the Rams feature an athletic lineup with the ability to run down balls, meaning they could be in for long points on a potentially nasty afternoon with rain in the forecast. Tahir said they will have to stay on the offensive and be deliberate with their shot placement.
The Rams bring with them a deep lineup, consisting of mainly international students. When the two teams met last season, Duke topped VCU 5-2 at Thalhimer Tennis Center in Richmond, Va. Duke leads VCU 32-3 all-time.
“They’re a good team,” Smith said. “They’ve had a good year so far, but we’re just excited to get back on the court and get the juices flowing again.”
Smith said that overall, the team is looking good and feeling good, and is confident that the team’s drive and preparation will take it to victory.
“We’ve had a good indoor season,” junior Fred Saba said. “We’re just looking to keep on executing, and I think we can take the ‘W’ if we continue to play at our level.”
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