Coming off an epic win against No. 6 Mississippi State on March 20, No. 10 Texas A&M men’s tennis took the court at the Mitchell Tennis Center on Friday, March against No. 36 Arkansas. The Aggies continued their winning streak,besting the Razorbacks 4-1 in College Station. 

To start things off for doubles was the No. 13 duo of sophomore Theo Papamalamis and senior Togan Tokac squaring up against the Razorbacks’ No. 44 duo senior Eric Padgham and sophomore Ben Weintraub. Despite the best effort of Papamalamis and Tokac to activate their rackets, they unfortunately fell short, dropping the first set 6-2.

After the tough loss in the first doubles match, the Maroon and White No. 40 duo of junior Kholo Montsi and sophomore Alex Frusina found themselves pitted against No. 64 junior Connor Smillie and sophomore Jakub Vrba. Montsi and Frusina turned up the heat against their counterparts and took the set from the Razorbacks 6-4. With the doubles win, the Aggies and the Razorbacks found themselves playing on an even playing field. 

Now, all eyes turned to Court 3, where the Fightin’ Farmers duo of junior Lathan Skrobarcek and freshman Markus Molder went toe-to-toe with the Razorback duo of sophomore Brendan Boland and freshman Dmitry Kopilevich. Another long and drawn out battle occurred but luckily for the Aggies, the final doubles match concluded at 6-4. With the doubles point claimed by A&M, Arkansas trailed 1-0.. 

 Kicking off the singles’ matches was Molder battling against sophomore Gabriel Elicha Navas. The match was decided in straight sets with Elicha Navas taking the first, 6-2. Molder, with little gas left in the tank, dropped the second set, 6-3, tying the contest 1-1. 

Over on Court 5, Tokac was paired up against sophomore Arséne Pougault. The Aggie found a way to revive the maroon momentum taking the first set from Pougault, 6-4. As the Turkey native entered into the second set, he continued to dominate Pougault by claiming the set, 6-2. By the end of the second singles match, the Aggies found the lead yet again over the Razorbacks, 2-1. 

Following in his predecessor’s footsteps was No. 30 Papamalamis as he squared up against No. 18 Vrba on Court 1. During the first set, the French native bested the Razorback, 6-1. He did not lessen up entering the second set as he took this set as well, this time 6-4. 

In the final singles match of the contest, the Maroon and White’s No. 68 Frusina took on the Red and White’s Weintraub. The Fightin’ Farmers continued to show that this was their show, as Frusina took the first set from Weintraub, 6-2. The Conroe native continued to roll over his opponent in the second set taking the second set 6-4. The Razorbacks faced an impossible comeback trailing 4-1 causing the other two singles matches on Courts 2 and 6 to stand unfinished, as the Aggies walked away with the 4-1 victory. 

With another victory under its belt, A&M now looks forward to its next match as it takes on No. 48 Tennessee on Sunday, March 29, at the Mitchell Tennis Center.