After defeating Illinois for the first time in 10 years, Duke looks to avenge its two losses to Tennessee last season. The No. 10 Blue Devils (6-0) will travel to Knoxville to face the No. 12 Volunteers (4-2) Saturday at 1 p.m. in their final match before the ITA National Team Indoor Championships in Virginia.
Last season Tennessee annihilated Duke at home 7-0 before beating them a second time at the ITA National Team Indoors 4-2. Regardless, the Blue Devils enter this weekend with confidence after cruising in last weekend’s victories over then-No. 19 Illinois, Notre Dame and N.C. Central.
“Especially after last year, they came here and they beat us 7-0,” said Henrique Cunha, the nation’s seventh-ranked singles player. “It was pretty painful. I am expecting to do the same thing there.”
This past weekend the Volunteers also fell to Illinois, but Duke is not looking at that as an indicator of this weekend’s matchup.
“I don’t think we can look at it that Illinois beat Tennessee and we beat Illinois so that means we are going to win,” head coach Ramsey Smith said. “This is a team that has beaten us a bunch.... [It’s a] little bit of a different team, some new faces, but they are certainly dangerous.”
This match will serve both as an important nonconference test and a precursor to the ITA National Team Indoor Championships. The Volunteers are known for their strong doubles teams, but the Blue Devils are led by the successful pairing of Cunha and Fred Saba, who have not lost a match this spring. Unlike last year, Duke will have freshman Raphael Hemmeler—who has not dropped a set this season at the No. 5 spot—playing singles.
This weekend will allow Duke to put all its energy on Tennessee and the upcoming tournament.
“It’s nice this weekend because its only one match so we can fully prepare for only one team,” Smith said. ‘Hopefully we can finish with a [win].”
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