Men's Tennis | 2/27/2015 2:36:00 PM

FORT MYERS, Fla – A thunderstorm is set to arrive at the FGCU Tennis Complex at approximately 2 p.m. tomorrow and the FGCU men's tennis team (6-2) will move its match time against UCF up to 10 a.m. from noon due to the impending weather on Saturday, Feb. 28 so that the game can be played on the scheduled date.
 
After opening the spring slate with a 6-2 record, including the program's first win over a nationally ranked opponent in then No. 71 Miami, the FGCU men's tennis team will look to keep the tides rolling high as the Eagles resume action against UCF.

"We are looking forward to hosting UCF," said head coach CJ Weber. "The match got rained out last year, so we haven't played them for two years. It will be nice to get out there again with them. We have had two weeks to prepare since our last match, so I am looking forwards to seeing how the guys implement some of the things we have been working on in match play."
 
WIN STREAK
Junior transfer Ricky Ventura (Barcelona, Spain/University of Barcelona) is putting together an impressive spring slate for FGCU as the Barcelona, Spain native is currently 7-1 in singles play. After falling against Christian Gonzalez Mendez of No. 31 Florida State in the season opener, Ventura has won seven matches in a row, highlighted by a dominating win over Bernard Tefel of then No. 71 Miami with a score of 6-1, 6-0. His seven match win streak is the second longest in the program history, trailing only behind senior Jordi Vives' 14 match win streak set in the 2013-14 campaign.
 
CHASING 100
With 44 doubles and 54 singles victories, senior co-captain Tianyu Bao (Tianjin, China/Bayshore HS (Bradenton, Fla.)) is two victories shy of joining Vives as the second FGCU player to reach a combination of 100 wins. A former A-Sun Freshman of the Year, A-Sun Second-Team All Conference and A-Sun First-Team All Conference selection, Bao will be looking to exhibit his aggressive style of tennis in front of the home crowd this weekend against UCF.
 
THE UNDEFEATED DUO
The junior duo of Ventura and Lucas Vaz (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Colegio Fleming/Tulsa) is the only undefeated duo in the Eagles' doubles lineup, standing tall in the No. 3 slot, they are 5-0 in seven appearances this spring, the best start for any duo in program history. Ventura and Vaz displayed their teamwork to the fullest during the contest against FAU's Zandrix Acob and Richard Meade. Both sides were evenly matched throughout the contest and the match had to be decided by a tiebreaker. Vaz and Ventura made sure to play skillful tennis throughout the tiebreaker to eventually claim the match 7-6(8)
  
HISTORY REWRITTEN
After a pair of wins last weekend, senior co-captain Jordi Vives (Barcelona, Spain/IES Ferran Tallada/USC) became the most decorated player in program history. Vives claimed his 100th win as an Eagle, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1, over Dillon Segur of Liberty becoming the first player from FGCU to do so. The next day Vives became the winningest DI singles player in program history with 63 wins as the Barcelona, Spain native posted an upset win over then ITA No. 56 Piotr Lomacki of Miami with a score of 6-4, 7-5, surpassing former great and current assistant coach Dean Tsamas (62). Two-time Atlantic Sun First Team All Conference selection and reigning Atlantic Sun Player of the Year, Vives currently has a combined 104 wins (39 doubles, 65 singles) and will look to add more success to his already adorned collegiate career.
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS
After missing the entire fall season due to an injury, Vives has made a solid comeback during the young spring season as the senior is ranked No. 107 in the nation in the third installment of the ITA Division I Singles Ranking.
 
Of his seven wins, Vives bested three quality opponents, including a 7-6 (3), 6-3 decision over No. 17 TCU's Arnau Dachs, who is one of the Horned Frogs primary singles players, and cross-state rival FAU's Andrei Morin-Kougoucheff with a score of 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, as well as a win over Hassan Ndayishimye of Troy 6-4, 7-5, who is currently ranked 954 in the ATP World Tour Rankings. The only loss Vives has suffered came in the season-opener against No. 32 Florida State's Benjamin Lock, falling 6-3, 6-3.
 
FRESH BATES
As the only player to go perfect in singles play this spring, freshman Austin Bates (Marietta, Ga./Pope HS) has proved himself as a valuable piece of puzzle for the Eagles' success. Appearing in three singles matches this spring, the Marietta, Ga. native has won them all in dominating fashion, highlighted by a 6-2, 6-2 win over Jason Burgess of Liberty. During the contest against the Flames, Bates was on the offensive attack early and often to defeat his opponent with style.
 
In the doubles action, Bates has been a strong force in the middle of the lineup, pairing with Andres Alfonzo (Hollywood, Fla./Texas Christian University)in the No. 2 slot for the majority of the season. The duo is now 3-2 on the spring, highlighted by an impressive win over Kian McLean and Robert Dubuque of FAU with a 6-0 score.
 
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
After an undefeated home-opening weekend for the Eagles, sophomore Andres Alfonzo was named Atlantic Sun Conference Men's Tennis Player of the Week for the first time in his career four weeks ago. Vives would earn A-Sun Player of the Week honors the follow week after rejoining the national rankings at No. 107, helping the FGCU men's tennis team improve to 5-1 and becoming the winningest player at FGCU in the DI era.
 
LAST TIME OUT
FGCU traveled to the World Center of Racing Feb. 13 and 14 to take on Troy and Bethune-Cookman. The Eagles dropped a heartbreaker against the Trojans with a score of 4-3 before cruising through the Wildcats 6-1.
 
During the contest against Troy, FGCU claimed the doubles point first, and was up 3-2 in the best-to-four format, but the Trojans launched a comeback bid from No. 2 and 3 singles and won both matches with a close margin to hand the Eagles their second loss of the year.
 
Determined to get back to their winning ways, the Eagles turned around the next day to defeat Bethune-Cookman with style, 6-1. Once again FGCU won the doubles point to start out the contest. The Wildcats retaliated in the singles contest, but the Eagles stayed disciplined to claim five out of six singles wins.
 
SCOUTING UCF
UCF is 7-6 on the season with their most recent results coming from a pair of wins over New Mexico State 5-2 and former A-Sun foe Mercer 7-0. The Knights have faced two mutual opponents with FGCU this spring in FAU and Miami, as UCF dropped against FAU 4-1 at home before beating Miami 4-3 on the road.  
 
The Knights were tabbed No. 70 in the first installment of the ITA National Rankings, and have since moved in and out of the ranking. In the latest ITA National Rankings, UCF is not ranked due to a pair of losses against No. 55 UNF and Furman three weekends ago.
 
Francesc Aulina is UCF's everyday No. 1 player with a record of 5-5 on the season. Chris Barrus and Inaki Espindola are the Knight's No. 1 doubles pair with a 5-5 dual-match record. During the Bedford Cup this past fall season, the pair faced FGCU's Bao and Andres Alfonzo in the second round of the main draw, and suffered a 7-6, 7-6 defeat against the Eagles.
 
FGCU is 0-4 all time against UCF. During the last contest between the two in the 2012-13 season, the Eagles visited the Knights and claimed the doubles point, but were unable to fend off UCF in the singles, and dropped the contest 4-3.
 
NEXT UP
FGCU will take its spring break trip to the Golden State for the first time in program history to take on Cal Poly on Mar. 3 at 1 p.m., UC Santa Barbara on Mar. 6 at 1:30 p.m. and UC Irvine on Mar. 6 at 5 p.m., all Pacific Time.
 
CJ WEBER
FGCU is led by CJ Weber, who has coached 10 A-Sun All-Conference selections since joining the Green and Blue in 2011. In his third season, Weber guided Jordi Vives to a No. 35 national ranking, a nation-leading 14-match unbeaten streak and the round of 32 in the 2014 NCAA Tournament – the program's first appearance. His teams have continually posted winning records and finished the 2014 season a Division-I best third in the conference with 12 wins.
 
#WINGSUP
Fans are encouraged to download the brand-new Wings Up mobile app in conjunction with SuperFanU. The fully-customized loyalty-rewards platform allows fans to check in at each of FGCU's sporting events to earn points throughout the school year toward exclusive prizes that can't be offered anywhere else.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
For complete coverage of FGCU men's tennis follow us on Twitter @FGCU_MTEN and visit www.FGCUAthletics.com where full recaps and results will be available at the end of each day.