Though a match against UNLV looms for the UCLA men’s
tennis team, the weather may loom even larger.
And that’s the last thing coach Billy Martin wants.
“We need these matches,” Martin said.
“It’s good practice for us, valuable court time. We
don’t need less tennis, that’s for sure.”
No. 2 UCLA (2-0) is scheduled to face UNLV today, BYU on
Wednesday and UC Irvine on Friday, but Mother Nature is also
scheduled to throw a slight kink in those plans.
There is about a 30 percent chance of rain this afternoon, and
there appears to be a very good chance that Wednesday’s match
could be rained out. That would leave Martin scrambling to
reschedule, because he knows the more his team can play competitive
tennis, the better off it will be.
He said he would be receptive to rescheduling the UNLV match on
Thursday if it is indeed rained out today. BYU, meanwhile, poses a
slightly larger problem, as the Cougars are scheduled to play
Thursday against UC Irvine and Friday at San Diego.
What it all adds up to is a lot of confusion, and a problem that
Martin would rather not have. So until the rain actually
materializes, the Bruins will go about their business as usual.
The lineup for today’s match will see Benjamin Kohlloeffel
return to the No. 1 position, as Martin continues to flip-flop
Kohlloeffel and Luben Pampoulov between the No. 1 and No. 2
spots.
Senior Chris Lam, the team’s leader in wins from a season
ago, will get the day off today, as senior Kris Kwinta will play at
No. 3, senior Alberto Francis at No. 4 and freshman Mathieu Dehaine
at No. 5. Sophomore Jason Nguyen is scheduled to play in his first
dual match ever at the No. 6 spot.
In doubles, the aspect of the game that the Bruins are putting
the most focus on this week, Martin will make a fairly notable
swap. The No. 1 doubles team of Francis and Kwinta will switch
positions with Kohlloeffel and Pampoulov, who have been playing at
No. 2.
Francis and Kwinta have struggled in the team’s first two
matches, prompting the switch.
“Obviously I had made my decision that they were the No. 1
team ““ they had proved that last year and in the fall,”
Martin said. “But they’re not playing well.
“As soon as I feel that they’re playing at a high
level, I wouldn’t hesitate to move them back to No.
1.”
Martin did have some lofty praise for Kwinta, calling him the
best doubles player on the team.
“His best doubles, when he’s on, is
remarkable,” Martin said. “At times, he’s played
by far the best doubles out of anybody in the last two
years.”
Completing the lineup will be the No. 3 doubles team of Dehaine
and Jeremy Drean, the two French freshmen. Drean is still
recovering from a hamstring injury he sustained just before
returning to school from winter break.