SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The USC Upstate men's tennis team will serve up the 2020 spring slate with a trio of opponents this weekend when they play No. 23 N.C. State, The Citadel and No. 16 South Carolina all away from the friendly confines of the USC Upstate Tennis Complex.
USC Upstate has not played a pair of Power 5 opponents in the same season since the 2010-2011 campaign, yet alone on opening weekend. The last time the Spartans opened the season against a Power 5 opponent was in in 2010 against Georgia Tech.
The Spartans are looking to build off of their success from the 2019 fall season.
Fernando Bernardes (Franca, Brazil) returns as the top option for USC Upstate, the senior from Brazil finished with an 8-3 doubles record last season and a 6-5 singles record. Bernardes played the majority of his matches at the No. 3 singles slot and was a member of the Spartans No. 1 doubles tandem.
Other returners for the Spartans include juniors
Luka Eble (Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany),
Tom Russwurm (Meitingen, Germany) and sophomore
Frederick Sydow (Oranjestad, Aruba). Newcomers
Guilherme Diniz (Manaus, Brazil),
Alex Muehr (Mallorca, Spain) and
Leon Roider (Vienna, Austria) look to make an impact in the spring lineup for the 2020 season.
Last season the Spartans opened up the 2019 spring campaign with a 7-0 win over Belmont Abbey. USC Upstate has won their past two spring season openers and they look to keep that streak alive against N.C. State on Saturday.
The Wolfpack are coming off a 19-11 overall record and an 8-4 record in ACC play last season. N.C. State made a run to the ACC semifinals and made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Knoxville, Tenn.
On Sunday the Spartans will make the short jaunt down to Columbia, S.C. to play The Citadel and South Carolina. The Citadel went 9-24 overall last season and were winless in SOCON action with a first round loss to ETSU in the SOCON Tournament. South Carolina went 18-10 overall and 5-7 in SEC action a season ago. The Gamecocks fell to No. 6 Mississippi State in semifinals of the SEC Tournament and No. 5 Virginia in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. South Carolina returns Paul Jubb the reigning NCAA Singles National Champion.
USC Upstate fans can watch the team in action against N.C. State and South Carolina. Live Stats will be provided as well for each contest.
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