Thursday, April 17
Columbia, SC
2 PM
University of Tennessee
vs
Alabama
Men’s Tennis Central: #14 [5] Tennessee vs. [12] Alabama
April 16, 2025 | Men's Tennis
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The 14th-ranked Tennessee men's tennis team will begin postseason play on Thursday at 2 p.m. ET in the SEC Tournament against Alabama at Carolina Tennis Center.
Live stats are available here, and live video of the action can be accessed here.
LAST TIME OUT
Tennessee (18-7, 9-5 SEC) earned a top-five victory over No. 3 Texas on Sunday at Barksdale Stadium. The Vols got the early advantage thanks to doubles wins from No. 11 Alejandro Moreno and Alex Kotzen and the pairing of Shunsuke Mitsui and Alan Jesudason. Jan Kobierski secured the first clinch of his career, and singles triumphs were also earned by Mitsui and Ian Cruz.
SCOUTING THE CRIMSON TIDE
Alabama (15-11, 4-10 SEC) sits at 38th nationally, and they are slotted as the No. 12 seed in the SEC Tournament. The Crimson Tide are coming off a 4-3 victory over 11-seed Vanderbilt during the first round of the SEC Tournament on Wednesday.
During the 2023-24 slate, Alabama went 18-13 overall, losing in the NCAA Second Round to Duke. Filip Planinsek went on to win the NCAA Singles Championship after the conclusion of team postseason play, and he is currently ranked in both singles and doubles this season. Including Planinsek, Alabama boasts two singles individuals and two total doubles pairs who are ranked in the latest ITA poll.
Tennessee holds a 53-15 record all-time against the Crimson Tide, and the Vols are riding a 10-match win streak heading into Thursday's showdown – the longest winning streak in the series. Earlier this season, UT secured a win over Alabama, earning a gritty 4-3 victory in Tuscaloosa.
VOLS IN THE RANKINGS
Singles
#27 – Shunsuke Mitsui
#31 – Alex Kotzen
Doubles
#11 – Alex Kotzen/Alejandro Moreno
CRIMSON TIDE IN THE RANKINGS
Singles
#18 – Filip Planinsek
#79 – Roan Jones
Doubles
#22 – Damien Nezar/Andrii Zimnokh
#36 – Matic Kriznik/Filip Planinsek
TOP-FIVE TAKEDOWN
Tennessee is coming off an impressive 4-2 win over No. 3 Texas on Sunday at Barksdale Stadium. The triumph marks the Vols' highest-ranked win since their 2022 postseason run, when No. 6 UT beat No. 3 Baylor, 4-3, in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championship. Since the 2020-21 campaign, the Big Orange have managed to defeat a top-five opponent in each season.
SEC TOURNAMENT HISTORY
The Vols have made the SEC Tournament Semifinals in every season since 2017-18. UT is seeking its fifth SEC Tournament title in program history, with the last championship coming in 2021.
UP NEXT
With a win Thursday, the Vols would advance to the SEC Tournament Quarterfinals and would take on Texas A&M. That match would commence on Friday at 2 p.m. ET.
For the most up-to-date information about the program, follow Tennessee men's tennis on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook.
Live stats are available here, and live video of the action can be accessed here.
LAST TIME OUT
Tennessee (18-7, 9-5 SEC) earned a top-five victory over No. 3 Texas on Sunday at Barksdale Stadium. The Vols got the early advantage thanks to doubles wins from No. 11 Alejandro Moreno and Alex Kotzen and the pairing of Shunsuke Mitsui and Alan Jesudason. Jan Kobierski secured the first clinch of his career, and singles triumphs were also earned by Mitsui and Ian Cruz.
SCOUTING THE CRIMSON TIDE
Alabama (15-11, 4-10 SEC) sits at 38th nationally, and they are slotted as the No. 12 seed in the SEC Tournament. The Crimson Tide are coming off a 4-3 victory over 11-seed Vanderbilt during the first round of the SEC Tournament on Wednesday.
During the 2023-24 slate, Alabama went 18-13 overall, losing in the NCAA Second Round to Duke. Filip Planinsek went on to win the NCAA Singles Championship after the conclusion of team postseason play, and he is currently ranked in both singles and doubles this season. Including Planinsek, Alabama boasts two singles individuals and two total doubles pairs who are ranked in the latest ITA poll.
Tennessee holds a 53-15 record all-time against the Crimson Tide, and the Vols are riding a 10-match win streak heading into Thursday's showdown – the longest winning streak in the series. Earlier this season, UT secured a win over Alabama, earning a gritty 4-3 victory in Tuscaloosa.
VOLS IN THE RANKINGS
Singles
#27 – Shunsuke Mitsui
#31 – Alex Kotzen
Doubles
#11 – Alex Kotzen/Alejandro Moreno
CRIMSON TIDE IN THE RANKINGS
Singles
#18 – Filip Planinsek
#79 – Roan Jones
Doubles
#22 – Damien Nezar/Andrii Zimnokh
#36 – Matic Kriznik/Filip Planinsek
TOP-FIVE TAKEDOWN
Tennessee is coming off an impressive 4-2 win over No. 3 Texas on Sunday at Barksdale Stadium. The triumph marks the Vols' highest-ranked win since their 2022 postseason run, when No. 6 UT beat No. 3 Baylor, 4-3, in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championship. Since the 2020-21 campaign, the Big Orange have managed to defeat a top-five opponent in each season.
SEC TOURNAMENT HISTORY
The Vols have made the SEC Tournament Semifinals in every season since 2017-18. UT is seeking its fifth SEC Tournament title in program history, with the last championship coming in 2021.
UP NEXT
With a win Thursday, the Vols would advance to the SEC Tournament Quarterfinals and would take on Texas A&M. That match would commence on Friday at 2 p.m. ET.
For the most up-to-date information about the program, follow Tennessee men's tennis on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook.
Players Mentioned
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