Season kicks off in Utah

Saturday, January 16

Provo, Utah

11 a.m.

Grand Canyon

BYU

1/15/2021 12:38:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Lopes face BYU and Utah in opening weekend

By: Jerob Moon


Grand Canyon Lopes (0-0)	vs	BYU Cougars (0-0)	Utah Utes (0-0)
		Saturday, Jan. 16 11 a.m.	Sunday, Jan. 17 12 p.m.
			Live Video

For the first time in 338 days the GCU men's tennis team will be back on the courts ready to face another Division I team in a dual match. After the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly shut down the spring season in 2020, the Lopes will begin again in 2021 starting with matches on the road against BYU, and the first of three Pac-12 opponents, Utah.

Sunday's match at Utah will be streamed live on the Pac-12.com.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

2021 SCHEDULE: The Lopes will play a road heavy schedule this season with eight of their first 10 matches on the road. These first two matches of the season are first-time matchups before the Lopes face Arizona in Tucson next weekend. The first home matches of the season won't come until Feb. 15 and 16 against UC Riverside.
NEW LOOK ROSTER: The Lopes bring back five players from the 2020 spring season, including two seniors using the extra year of eligibility given to them by the NCAA due the COVID pandemic. Valentin Lang enters his fifth year with the Lopes along with Justin Cvitanovic who is now in his sixth year after having a medical redshirt his junior year. Both will lead the Lopes alongside fellow senior Freddie Grant. Seven freshmen, two sophomores including returner Laurent Magne and one junior, returner Maxim Kirsch round out the team.
RECORD WATCH: Some Division I records are on the line this season with Lang returning a fifth year. The Frenchman could pass GCU great Lorenzo Fucile in career double wins sitting just six wins behind at 39. Nine wins in singles could also see Lang move to the top of the career singles wins leaderboard. He currently sits at 44 wins behind Fucile at 52 and current GCU graduate assistant Mathieu Rajaonah at 49.

SCOUTING

BYU finished last season with a 6-7 record that included a 4-0 record at home. The Cougars started the season 1-4 but rebounded at the end of February winning three of their final four matches including a 4-0 sweep at Utah in the final match on March 7.

Fifth year senior Sean Hill returns for the Cougars at the No. 1 singles spot after leading the team in singles wins with a 6-3 record last season. The doubles pair of Ben Gajardo and Sam Tullis led the team with a 6-5 record from mainly from the No. 2 position.

Utah impressed in the shortened season in 2020 finsihing 12-5 with 10 matches left to play including a 12-1 record at home, the lone loss coming to BYU. The Utes finished 0-4 on the road dropping matches at the ITA Kickoff Weekend at Ohio State and a pair of 4-3 losses at New Mexico and Denver.

The Utes return five players from 2020 including team captain Slava Shainyan. The fifth year senior from Russia led the team with a 13-2 singles record mainly from the third position and ended the year on a six match winning streak. Randy Cory the team's top doubles player also returns after finishing with a 12-4 record at No. 1 doubles and a No. 37 ranking by the ITA.