After clinching a nail-biting win in its final singles match against North Carolina Wednesday, the Duke men's tennis team looks to continue its recent dominance when it travels to face Florida Friday afternoon.
"We're happy to be where we are," coach Jay Lapidus said, still savoring the Blue Devils' heated win over the Tar Heels. "I'm just really happy with my guys."
Florida, however, is ranked 15th nationally, and will demand Duke's full attention.
"In Florida we have to play a really good team," junior Michael Yani said. "If we can finish our year out with a win there and [at] FSU, that would be great."
Duke, 13-9 overall and currently ranked 11th, could have a mental edge after prevailing over UNC, a win that most likely secured the Blue Devils' fifth straight ACC regular-season title.
The Gators (13-5), in the meantime, lost to the top-ranked Georgia Bulldogs last Sunday, prolonging their losing streak to three matches.
Although Duke might have the advantage, both Florida and the Blue Devils fell earlier in the season to their only common opponent, Tennessee, as both teams could only gain one point in doubles play against the Volunteers.
But Lapidus asserted that the loss to Tennessee in February is no indication of the Blue Devils' true capabilities, as injuries set Duke back in Knoxville.
"We were short-handed against Tennessee," he said.
Florida has posted a strong record, 67-31, in doubles play and has won the doubles point in 12-of-16 matches in 2002. The Gators decidedly gained the doubles point against Georgia when they swept all three doubles matches.
The Gators top two doubles pairs, Olivier Levant/Eleazor Magallan and Chris McDonald/Hamid Mirzadeh, have shown that they will not easily forfeit their point to the evenly matched Blue Devils. These ranked pairs boast successful track records on the court, and Levant, Magallan and McDonald were all chosen for the 2001 NCAA Doubles Championship.
Lapidus argued, though, that the Blue Devils will not allow Florida's formidable doubles to contest Duke's supremacy.
"We've been playing well at No. 1 doubles and have been very consistent," Lapidus said.
Lapidus highlighted the skills of Magallan and Levant as No. 2 and No. 3 singles players, however. These two players have secured a team-high 11 dual match singles wins. Magallan, ranked 51st nationally, and Levant promise to be serious problems for the Blue Devils.
Both players figure to play pivotal roles in Friday's match, as although Duke has proven itself to be strong at the No. 2 spot, it has shown signs of faltering at No. 3 singles.
"If we win No. 2 or 3 (singles), we'll have a decent chance," Lapidus said.
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