Texas A&M men’s tennis, ranked eighth in the nation, has been dominant all season. However, a big test awaits the Aggies on Wednesday, March 31, when they take on longtime rival, No. 7 Texas.
Now in separate conferences, these two teams don’t face off as often as they used to. None of the current members of A&M’s team have faced the Longhorns in a dual match with the exception of graduate transfer Bjorn Thomson when he competed at Texas Tech. This match offers the Aggies a chance to etch their names into the history of the rivalry.
These two teams have not met on the men’s tennis courts since 2016, despite only being a couple hours down the road. The Aggies lost in a top-20 matchup; five years later both teams face each other ranked in the top eight.
The Aggies are riding high on a three-match win streak, earning strong victories over No. 25 Oklahoma State, No. 6 TCU and unranked Auburn. The team has a record of 13-4 on the season, 9-3 against ranked opponents and 2-1 against top-10 teams. Tough competition is not unfamiliar to the Aggies.
Another ranked win would be huge for the Aggies. Only a few matches remain before the SEC Tournament. With very solid teams like No. 13 Georgia and No. 3 Tennessee on the schedule’s horizon, a rivalry win could be a needed boost of confidence.
A&M isn’t alone in this front. Texas currently has a six-game win streak, including one over a ranked team. They currently sit at 14-3 on the season, 3-3 against ranked opponents. The Big 12 Tournament inches nearer to them as well.
Six A&M players currently sit in the top-125 of the ITA rankings, two of whom are in the top five. Texas is home to three in the top-125. In addition, A&M’s Thomson and senior Carlos Aguilar jumped into the top-10 in duos, currently sitting at eighth. Texas has two ranked duos: No. 12 Woldeab and Spizzirri and No. 57 Woldeab and Holden.
This will be a hard-fought matchup with each team having their own advantages. The rivals will face off on Wednesday, March 31. Match play begins at 6 p.m. at the Texas Tennis Center in Austin and can be viewed on Longhorn Network.