Sooners Host Wichita State in Home Opener

No. 2 Oklahoma vs. Wichita State

Jan. 20, 5:30 p.m. | Headington Family Tennis Center

Norman, Okla.

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HOME OPENER

NORMAN – The Oklahoma men's tennis team opens play at the Headington Family Tennis Center on Tuesday when it hosts the Shockers of Wichita State.

HOME SWEET HOME

The Sooners have matched up with the Shockers for their last four home openers and swept each of those matches 7-0. Oklahoma has won its last six home openers dating back to 2009.

SOONERS RANKED

The Sooners debuted at No. 2 in the ITA's initial team rankings. This marks the team's highest preseason ranking in program history. In addition to the team rankings, the Sooners are all over the individual rankings. Four Sooners find themselves ranked inside the top-50. Junior Axel Alvarez is the highest ranked Sooner at No. 14, sophomore Andrew Harris comes in at No. 20, senior Dane Webb makes the list at No. 33 and sophomore Alex Ghilea sits at No. 50. The doubles duo of Alvarez and Webb also made the ITA doubles rankings at No. 38.

The already loaded Sooners will also be joined by the nation's No. 1 recruit, Spencer Papa. The Edmond, Okla. native has been ranked as high No. 15 in the world in the ITF junior ranks and is largely considered the top American junior player.

SCOUTING THE SHOCKERS

Wichita State enters the match unranked in the team standings, but the team features one of the best doubles pairs in the nation. Tin Ostojic and Tomislav Gregurovic are currently ranked 17^th in the country. Alvarez and Webb squared off with Ostojic/Gregurovic in the finals of the USTA/ITA Central Region Championships this fall. The Sooner pair dropped a heartbreaking match that ended in a tiebreaker that went all the way to 10 points. The Shockers have one player ranked in singles. Ostojic comes in at No. 114.

LAST TIME OUT

The Sooners spent the past weekend at the MLK Invitational in Atlanta, Ga. where they joined host school Georgia Tech, No. 8 Georgia and No. 16 Columbia. Playing in hidden dual format, Oklahoma won 15 individual matches, including five wins over ranked opponents, over three days and took home the doubles title.