TCU Men's Tennis - 2020-2021

[Purp]

Can you lose something you never had?

The same thing can be asked about Baylor and integrity.

 

[Longfrog]

Was it ever determined what Baylor promised Brooksby to get him to flip?

 

[Pharm Frog]

Was it ever determined what Baylor promised Brooksby to get him to flip?

White girls?

 

[Longfrog]

White girls?

Feels like I really teed that one up

 

[Purp]

Feels like I really teed that one up

That's a golf analogy. The tennis analogy would be a soft 2nd serve to avoid double fault.

 

[Jared7]

Have you heard? The Frogs are ranked third!! Here's the new ITA Top 25:

1. USC (on our schedule)
2. North Carolina (will be at ITA Indoor Nationals)
3. The Fighting Frogs of lil ole TCU
4. Texas (on our schedule)
5. Stanford (on our schedule)
6. Baylor (on our schedule)
7. Ohio State
8. Virginia (will be at ITA Indoor Nationals)
9. A&M (on our schedule)
10. Tennessee (will be at ITA Nationals)
11. Florida (on our schedule)
12. Michigan
12. (tie) Georgia
14. NC State
15. Oklahoma State (on our schedule)
16. Wake Forest (lost to OU at Ft. Worth regional)
17. Mississippi (on our schedule)
18. UCLA
19. UCF
20. South Carolina
21. Kentucky
22. Pepperdine (on our schedule)
23. Oklahoma (W)
24. Tech (on our schedule)
25. Columbia

ARV: Alabama, Arizona, Arizona State (on our schedule), Duke, Illinois (at Indoor Nationals), Northwestern

Not bad. I thought Texas might be above us because they beat Florida and the Gators are higher ranked than OU, but it's a poll, not the stat-based ranking system as yet.

 

[jake102]

Seems like this is a really deep TCU team, not super top heavy. A little bit of a switch from the last great teams we had (Chappell, Norrie, Rybo) where we dominated up top and had more 50/50 matches towards the bottom. I could see us performing better in spots 4-6 than in 1-3 against the really good teams.

 

[Jared7]

Seems like this is a really deep TCU team, not super top heavy. A little bit of a switch from the last great teams we had (Chappell, Norrie, Rybo) where we dominated up top and had more 50/50 matches towards the bottom. I could see us performing better in spots 4-6 than in 1-3 against the really good teams.

And we're also really young. With the COVID eligibility extension, we have no seniors and everyone could be back next year. It used to be that we'd hope to win the doubles point, count on Rybo and the Camster to get us 2 more points and pray to the tennis gods that we could get another somehow somewhere. Now, we're formidable at all spots. Other teams should Fear the Frogs.

 

[Jared7]

There were apparently some last minute withdrawals in Antalya (not surprising due to COVID) and Alex Rybakov has made it into the main draw in singles and doubles (teaming again with former Mississippi State star Nuno Borges). Qualies are ongoing and Rybo will open against a qualifier when determined.

One odd thing about yesterday's ITA rankings was that Ohio State dropped only to 7th and Virginia, who beat them in Columbus indoors (where the Buckeyes are usually best), is 8th. What???!!! What pollster in their right mind could do that? This isn't preseason anymore and there are actual results. And it's not like Virginia is not a good program and should be under-rated - they won 3 NCAA championships in recent years and OSU hadn't won one. Arrgh.

Historically, TCU leads Baylor 34-21, but that's a bit misleading. It includes a 30-match consecutive winning streak we had from 1975-98 when they were (mostly) a SWC doormat and then a 15-match streak they had over us from 2002-15 when they were (mostly) receiving BCS monies and we weren't. Since then we won 3 straight from 2016-18, but they've taken the last 2 from 2018-19. We didn't play last year. Our next match will be Sunday afternoon in Waco (after they play Texas in Austin on Saturday).

 

[Jared7]

The Baylor-Texas match in Austin starts shortly (noon). It's too bad that both can't lose, but I guess we're rooting for Baylor (bleah) so that they're ranked higher when we play them tomorrow. I'll try, but rooting for Baylor is a nauseating thought. Baylor and A&M have now announced where and when they will play the final ITA Regional final - it'll be at SMU next Sunday.

TCU has announced its attendance policy for the Spring. Until the virus is further under control, no attendees will be allowed at indoor matches and a pass system will be in force for outdoor matches. Each player (and presumably coaches) will be allowed to give a limited number of passes to fans. So, if you want to watch the #3 Frogs, get to know a player soonest.

In Antalya, Rybo will play Sebastian Gima in the first round tomorrow. And Alex and Nuno start today in doubles against two Italians.

 

[Jared7]

After a drizzle delay, Texas takes the doubles point. The singles match-ups will be: Boitan, Soto, Lah, Stochowiak, Broom and Furman for the Bears and Woldeab, Spizzirri, Braswell, Harper, Huang and McDonald for the Longhorns.

 

[Jared7]

Baylor storms back to take the match 4-1. This sets up tomorrow's titanic early season battle between #3 TCU and the hated #6 Bears, who just walloped #4 Texas, the reigning national champs. I hope everyone who can possibly do so take their minds off the Roger Williams brouhaha and travel down to Whacko (er, gather around your computer) to support the Frogs tomorrow. It could be epic!

 

[Longfrog]

Today’s result confirms my priors, which is that UT is a notch below us and Baylor. Seeing UT top Florida gave me pause but I just don’t think they quite have enough this year. We really need to win doubles and Gray has to get a win at the top. As deep as we are I don’t know that anyone can match Baylor’s depth. Interested to see if they change up the lineup.

 

[Jared7]

Yeah, without Ito and Sigsgaard et al., Texas is not the team they were in 2019. Crackedracquets (albeit not the ITA) didn't even have the Longhorns in the Top 10. But Florida lost a lot too, so that result may be a little misleading. Baylor gained Stachowiak and Broom and losing Brooksby isn't all that significant because he didn't play much last year and got injured early anyway. Baylor's depth yesterday really dominated in singles.

The match is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. - once again, I won't be around until later tonight. This is easily the toughest match we've had yet early this season. Go Frogs!

 

[Longfrog]

Doubles underway. Baylor is going with same lineup as yesterday in both singles and doubles, if Sidearm Stats is to be believed. For TCU, same team at #1 (Gray/Fomba) as we saw vs OU, and the same personnel in a different combination elsewhere. Today, Jong/Kruger are at #2 and Paroulek/Martin at #3. Right now we're up a break on 1 and down a break on 3.

 

[Longfrog]

Jong with a big 1st serve at deuce to hold on #2. Still on serve there.

 

[Longfrog]

Frogs get a 2nd break at #1, Bears get the same at #3. Looks like it's all down to court 2 where it's 3-3.

 

[Longfrog]

Split on 1 and 3, but just lost serve on court 2. Baylor up 4-3.

 

[Longfrog]

Both teams hold for 5-4, and Baylor will serve for the match.

 

[Longfrog]

Easy hold for Baylor as they get the doubles point. We've got a real nice team at #1, but it takes two points to win doubles. We may need to break up Gray and Fomba.