Tigers start season with doubleheader sweep at home

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Tigers start season with doubleheader sweep at homeTigers start season with doubleheader sweep at home

AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn men’s tennis began its 2025 dual match season with a pair of wins over Mercer and North Alabama on Friday at the Yarbrough Tennis Center in Auburn, Alabama. The Tigers shut out Mercer 7-0 before defeating North Alabama 6-1 in the nightcap. Five Auburn players made their collegiate dual match debut on Friday during the two wins: Mats Bredschneijder, Alex Frusina, Jake Kennedy, Hamza Nasridinov and Joey Phillips.

“I was really proud with the doubles,” Auburn head coach Bobby Reynolds said after the doubleheader. “Bill (Blaydes) and Will (Nolan) had a great fall and they came out here, took care of business and kind of led the way. But even from No. 2 and No. 3, I saw a lot of great things and we're still trying to figure out those pairings that will project us through for the rest of the season.

“I think ultimately what we were trying to do is get those young guys out there on the court. It's a natural feeling as a newcomer to have just a lot of nerves and this was a way to play through the nerves and allow them to get out there and grind, run side to side and get through the nerves. They did a great job. Mats (Bredschneijder) got to play two matches and Hamza (Nasridinov) getting out there. And even, the new face of Thomas Kennedy, who had never played for Auburn before.”

Jake Kennedy and Mats Bredschneijder each earned their first win in a collegiate dual match to start the matchup against Mercer, as the pair won six consecutive games after dropping the first over Howell Burns and Tom Hagelauer on court three. Moments later, the freshman duo of Alex Frusina and Joey Phillips earned a 6-3 victory in their first match as doubles partners to clinch the doubles point.

Auburn started singles hot by winning the first set on five of six courts. Senior Will Nolan did not give up a game in his opening set win on the top court over Nemanja Stefanovic while Frusina and Billy Blaydes each won 6-1. After jumping out to a 5-0 first set lead over Marceau Fouilhoux on court four, Phillips was forced into a tiebreaker but prevailed 7-4 while Bredschneijder also won in a close tiebreaker one court over.

Blaydes was the first Tiger to finish in singles, defeating Prince Gandonou in straight sets for his 50th career singles victory. Nolan made the most of his career debut playing at the top of the singles lineup with a straight set win of his own that gave Auburn a 3-0 lead. With the set tied at three, Bredschneijder won three of his next four games over Tom Hagelauer to claim his match and clinch the team victory for Auburn.

After the team win was secured, Phillips, Frusina and Kennedy each went on to win and complete the shutout of the Bears.

Blaydes and Nolan lived up to their No. 15 doubles ranking to begin the second match against North Alabama, winning five consecutive games to defeat Alberto Altur and Nazar Fedoryshyn 6-1 and set the tone for the evening match. Frusina and Phillips then won their second doubles match of the day together by a 6-2 score that clinched the doubles point for the Tigers.

A competitive opening set took place on each court with the exception of court two, where Blaydes shut out Birtan Duran 6-0. Nolan, Thomas Kennedy, Frusina and Hamza Nasridinov each prevailed in competitive opening sets while Frusina came back from a 4-2 deficit to claim his opening set over Izan Orgiles in a tiebreaker.

The Tigers looked stronger in their respective second sets, as Blaydes finished first with a dominant 6-0, 6-2 win. Thomas Kennedy also posted a straight set victory, riding an early 4-2 second set lead on court six to a 6-4, 6-4 win over Samu Dominguez to give Auburn a 3-0 lead.

The team win was secured on court one, where Will Nolan’s dominant second set led him to a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Lachlan Brain. Frusina then won his fourth match of the day on court three, taking down Izan Orgiles 7-6 (2), 6-4. Nasridinov then picked up his first victory in his collegiate debut on court four by defeating Fedoryshyn in straight sets.

Up next, Auburn will travel to Knoxville, Tennessee, for ITA Kickoff Weekend and play for a spot in the ITA National Team Indoor Championships. The Tigers’ first match will be against Michigan on Jan. 25 followed by a match against Illinois or Tennessee the following day.

 

 

Auburn 7, Mercer 0 

Singles Results:

  1. Will Nolan (AUB) def. Nemanja Stefanovic (MER) 6-0, 6-4
  2. Alex Frusina (AUB) def. Isak Padio (MER) 6-1, 7-6 (7-1)
  3. Billy Blaydes (AUB) def. Prince Gandonou (MER) 6-1, 6-2
  4. Joey Phillips (AUB) def. Marceau Fouilhoux (MER) 7-6 (7-4), 6-4
  5. Mats Bredschneijder (AUB) def. Tom Hagelauer (MER) 7-6 (8-6), 6-3
  6. Thomas Kennedy (AUB) def. Shingo Masuda (MER) 4-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-1)

Doubles Results:

  1. Will Nolan/Billy Blaydes (AUB) def. Nemanja Stefanovic/Marceau Fouilhoux (MER) 6-4
  2. Alex Frusina/Joey Phillips (AUB) def. Isak Padio/Prince Gandonou (MER) 6-3
  3. Mats Bredschneijder/Jake Kennedy (AUB) def. Howell Burns/Tom Hagelauer (MER) 6-1

Time of match: 2:40; Order of finish: Doubles: 3,2,1; Singles: 3,1,5,4,2,6; Official: Donna Jerome

 

 

Auburn 6, North Alabama 1

Singles Results:

  1. Will Nolan (AUB) def. Lachlan Brain (UNA) 7-5, 6-1
  2. Billy Blaydes (AUB) def. Birtan Duran (UNA) 6-0, 6-2
  3. #95 Alex Frusina (AUB) def. Izan Orgiles (UNA) 7-6 (7-2), 6-4
  4. Hamza Nasridinov (AUB) def. Nazar Fedoryshyn (UNA) 6-4, 7-5
  5. Alberto Altur (UNA) def. Mats Bredschneijder (AUB) 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
  6. Thomas Kennedy (AUB) def. Samu Dominguez (UNA) 6-4, 6-4

Doubles Results:

  1. #15 Will Nolan/Billy Blaydes (AUB) def. Alberto Altur/Nazar Fedoryshyn (UNA) 6-1
  2. Alex Frusina/Joey Phillips (AUB) def. Satoru Nakajima/Lachlan Brain (UNA) 6-2
  3. Izan Orgiles/Samu Dominguez (UNA) def. Hamza Nasridinov/Thomas Kennedy (AUB) 6-3

Time of match: 2:40; Order of finish: Doubles: 1,2,3; Singles: 2,6,1,3,4,5; Official: Donna Jerome