Mercer Tennis teams anticipate a busy season

The spring semester may have just started, but that just means it’s game time for Mercer’s men’s and women’s tennis teams. Both teams have played six matches and have had a rough go of it, each going 1-5 to start the season.

Missing players were a possible factor in that slow start.

“We’ve had a couple injuries. When we played Tulsa, we had two guys out with the flu and right now we have two girls out,” said Head Coach Eric Hayes. “So right now we’re trying to get healthy.”

A notable injury that Hayes pointed out was Marie Mottet, a player who normally plays at the top of the team.

A factor that could play into the men’s slow start is the loss of some of the team’s leaders from last season.

Olivier Stuart and Nicolas Guillon, as well as a few of the other seniors, are the ones expected to step up and fill those leadership vacancies. Their focus this season is building team chemistry with the new players.

While getting healthy and bonding as a team are smaller objectives of the team, the primary target of the season comes in March and April when Southern Conference play begins.

“I think every team’s main goal is winning conference, but I think we’ve got a good team this year so I think we’re ready,” said women’s senior tennis player Celine Schepers.

Both teams will play their first home matches of 2019 starting Feb. 3.

The women will host Alabama State, while the men will host the University of Connecticut and Alabama State from Feb. 2-3 before taking on Georgia Southern Feb. 6.