'23 - '24 Season

HI UT Tennis Fan,
We returned last night from a successful weekend at the Miami Invitational. Despite the fact that rain caused us to stop most of Sunday's matches just short of completion, everyone got plenty of tennis in, and we won more than our fair share of matches against Arizona State, LSU, and Miami. In fact, we won both the singles and doubles titles: Eliot Spizzirri and Cleeve Harper picked up the doubles championship, while Micah Braswell won his 3rd straight collegiate singles title. For all the results from the weekend, please click on this press release.

As a follow up to my previous e-mail, I wanted to remind you that we will open our dual match season this coming Friday at 4 pm at home vs Lamar. Then on Saturday, we will honor our seniors, and give them the opportunity to speak about their journeys, at the UT Men's and Women's Tennis Senior Banquet. Finally on Sunday, we will close the weekend with a 12:00 pm match vs Abilene Christian. If you plan on attending Saturday's 5:30 pm banquet, and have not rsvp'd yet, please do so by contacting Megan Hoffman at [email protected].

Looking ahead to the following week, please mark your calendars now for January 18, when defending national champion Virginia visits us in Austin for a rematch of last year's NCAA semifinal match. More details on this early season #1 vs #3 match up to come next week!

Have a great week, and Hook'em!

Sincerely,
Bruce Berque
 
HI UT Tennis Fan,
Our team had a good start to the 2024 dual match season, picking up 7-0 shutouts over Lamar (recap) and Abilene Christian (recap). As we endure the cold snap for the next few days, we will also be busy preparing for the first big match of the season, a showdown with two time defending national champion and #1 ranked Virginia at 5 pm on Thursday. The forecast for Thursday is for temperatures to be close to 70 degrees, so we are planning for the match to be outside at the Texas Tennis Center. As you may recall this will be a rematch of last year's NCAA final four match, in which Virginia got the better of us. Needless to say our team is looking forward to the opportunity! If you are in the neighborhood, please plan on joining us and recruiting everyone you know to come with you! Our marketing team is planning some excellent promotions, and I will be back in touch with you in a few days to tell you about them. Have a great start to your week, and stay warm! Hook'em!

Sincerely,
Bruce Berque
 
Hi again UT Tennis Fan,
I am writing with one final reminder about tomorrow's big home match. It will be #3 ranked Texas vs #1 ranked Virginia at 5 pm at the Varsity Tennis Center! At match time tomorrow the forecast is for sun, 68 degrees, and virtually no wind. In short, it is going to be a beautiful night! Please help us spread the word by sharing the attached promotional flyer with all of your friends. For a full preview of the match, including links to live scoring and video, please click here.

For those of you who could not make Saturday's senior banquet, here is a link to a zip folder with all of the senior speeches. They were fantastic, and if you watch them you will soon understand why this group of players is so special.

Have a great night and Hook'em!

Sincerely,
Bruce Berque
 
10SNE1? said:
I didn't see Charlotte Kempenaers-Pocz in the women's line up vs UCLA today. Hmmm
Click to expand...

-New faces in 2024
Several newcomers join the team, including Tanya Sasnouskaya, who is a graduate transfer from Old Dominion and is from Minsk Belarus and arrived for the fall semester. As a senior at Old Dominion in 2023, Sasnouskaya advanced to the second round of the NCAA Singles Championship and was No. 25 in the final ITA national singles rankings. She went undefeated in Sun Belt Conference play in singles and earned Sun Belt Player of the Year and first-team All-Sun Belt singles accolades. She also advanced to the second round of the NCAA Doubles Championship and was No. 26 in the final ITA national doubles rankings. Three freshmen will also be on the roster, including Charlotte Kempenaers-Pocz from Glengowrie, Australia; Shachf Lieberman from Modiin Israel; and Maddy MacNeille from Delray Beach, Fla. Kempenaers-Pocz is one of the top juniors players in the world with a career high ranking of No. 35, while she has also been ranked as high as No. 760 in singles and No. 447 in doubles by the WTA, while Lieberman has held a career-high juniors ranking of No. 358, and career-high WTA rankings of No. 1239 in singles and No. 1380 in doubles.

No. 6 Women’s Tennis preview: at No. 16 UCLA - University of Texas Athletics (texassports.com)
 
Hi UT Tennis Fan,
Thank you to everyone who came out to support our players on Thursday night as we took on #1 ranked UVA. On a beautiful night in front of close to 1,000 fans we came up just short in a 4-3 loss that came down to the final match. We won convincingly at #1 doubles, but dropped two close matches at #'s 2 and 3 doubles, which allowed UVA to take a 1-0 lead heading into singles. That point ended up being decisive as we split the singles 3-3. Although we definitely did not play our best throughout the lineup, our guys fought hard as usual, and there will be a lot to learn and gain from it. For a full recap, please click on this press release.

Looking ahead, we will host big home matches in each of the next 3 weekends. On Saturday, January 27 at 12:00 pm we will take on UTSA in the first round of the ITA Kick-Off. On Sunday we will play either Utah or Oklahoma State at 1 pm. We will have to win both matches next weekend in order to qualify for the National Team Indoors in New York in mid February. Our Kick-Off matches are scheduled to be outdoors at the Texas Tennis Center, but will be moved inside in the event of bad weather. Then on Sunday, February 4, at 2:30 pm we have another huge home match, vs Stanford. We will follow that up the following Saturday with a 1 pm showdown vs Florida. Please mark your calendars now! We will see you back at the courts this coming weekend!

Hook'em!

Sincerely,
Bruce Berque
 
Hi UT Tennis Fan,
I hope you have had a nice week. After 4 days of rain, we have moved back outside, and are preparing for the ITA Kick-Off, which begins tomorrow. We will play UTSA at 12:00 pm tomorrow (Saturday), and follow that up with a match vs. either Utah or Oklahoma State on Sunday at 1:00 pm. We will need to win both matches this weekend in order to advance to the National Indoor Championships in a few weeks in New York. I hope you will come out to support the guys on both days, but if you can only pick one I suggest you shoot for Sunday at 1 pm. For a full preview of this weekend's matches please click here.

I would also like to inform you that Nancy Snyder, beloved wife of Longhorn Legend Coach Dave Snyder, has passed away. Please click here for Nancy Snyder's obituary. The Longhorn tennis family has lost two very special people, but we know they will live on in the memories of all who were touched by them. Please keep the Snyder family in your thoughts and prayers.

All the best!

Sincerely,
Bruce Berque
 
HI UT Tennis Fan,
We had a successful few days at the ITA Kick-Off last weekend, picking up 4-1 wins over UTSA (recap) and Oklahoma State (recap). With the wins, we qualified for the ITA National Indoors February 16-19 in New York. We will return to the Texas Tennis Center this coming Sunday at 2:30 pm for another huge home match, this time against Stanford. We are once again promoting this match hard, and ask for your help in spreading the word. We had close to 1,000 people for the Virginia match a few weeks ago, and are expecting to break the 1,000 fan milestone for the 2nd time in as many seasons. Please plan on showing up early to get a good seat. Bring your friends and feel free to share the attached promotional flyer with everyone you can think of!

The Snyder family would like to share news of tomorrow's memorial service for Nancy Snyder. Those who cannot be there in person can watch the service via the live stream at 2pm central time on Friday. I have also been informed by the Snyder family that the service should be available for viewing after the fact at the above link if you are not available to watch it live.

Sincerely,
Bruce Berque
 
I’m not sure if CKP is cleared to play yet but good teaser from joffe on tennis recruiting site. Hope the 2 they intend to sign can contribute right away especially near top half line up. Def miss having Stearns on the team

“The consequence of our 2020 #1 TRN class with Stearns, Rapolu, Chavatipon and Collins was a very fruitful 2 National titles. In Maya Joint, Arianna Pursoo and the two other players we intend to sign, I am optimistic about the future of Texas Women’s Tennis and the prospects for more special achievements and celebrations in Austin.”
 
GFsTymUW4AAI8ku
 
Hi UT Tennis Fan,
I hope you had a great week! We had a productive week of training and are now ready to match up against Florida at 1 pm tomorrow (Saturday). Due to the forecast of rain, the match will be played indoors at the Weller Tennis Center (match preview). Live scoring links are available on the preview, but there will be no live stream tomorrow. If you are in town, we would sure appreciate you coming out and bringing your friends. We have increased the seating capacity indoors, and expect that we will be able to accommodate everyone who comes out.

After tomorrow's match we will next be competing in New York on Friday at the National Team Indoor Championships. I will be back in touch next week with details.

Hope to see you at the courts tomorrow! Hook'em!

Sincerely,
Bruce Berque
 
Hi UT Tennis Fan,
I hope you had a great weekend, and are enjoying the Super Bowl. Our team used the day to catch up with school and take care of their bodies after a well earned win over Florida yesterday at the Weller Tennis Center. Florida played very well in doubles, and took a 1-0 lead into singles, but we came out strong in singles and picked up 4 decisive straight set wins, capped off by Jonah Braswell's clinch over his former team at #6. For all the details, please click on this recap.

Next up is that National Team Indoors in New York. Our first round match will be on Friday, and I will be back in touch once we have the details (probably on Tuesday or Wednesday). Have a great week, and Hook'em!

Sincerely,
Bruce Berque
 
Never would I have guessed the women's team to be ranked higher than the men's team this season! Good for them for proving me wrong!

Men #10
Women #4
 
Hi UT Tennis Fan,
Our trip to New York for that National Indoors got off to a tough start, as we dropped a heartbreaker to an Arizona team who played a great match. It was no surprise, though, that our team showed great character and pride to pick up two shutout wins (4-0 over Michigan, and 5-0 over South Carolina) to finish the tournament strong. For full recaps of each match, please go to Arizona loss; Michigan win; and South Carolina win. Eliot Spizzirri (ranked #1 in the country) was named Big 12 Player of the Week after picking up 3 ranked wins at #1 singles in New York. Micah Braswell (ranked #2 in the country) also won all 3 singles matches at #2.

Our next match will be at home vs. St. John's at 5 pm on Wednesday, February 28. We will then hit the road for our first showdown with TCU, this time in a non-conference match on March 2 in Ft. Worth. Have a great week, and Hook'em!

Sincerely,
Bruce Berque
 
Hi UT Tennis Fan,
Our next match will be tomorrow (Wednesday) evening at 5 pm vs St. John's. The match will be at the Texas Tennis Center, and I hope you will come out to support the team if you are in town. Here is a preview of tomorrow's match. After tomorrow's match we will head up to Ft. Worth to take on TCU on Saturday at 2 pm. As usual, that promises to be a huge match for us, so if you are in the Ft. Worth area it would be great to see a little burnt orange! After the TCU trip, current #1 ranked Ohio State will visit us for a massive home match on Sunday, March 10. Please start spreading the word now and plan on helping us set another attendance record. Should be a fantastic match, and we could really use another great home crowd. The Ohio State match will be broadcast live on the Longhorn Network, which means live streaming will not be available. So your only two options for watching will be in person or on LHN. Thanks for your continued support of Texas Men's Tennis! Hook'em!

Sincerely,
Bruce Berque
 
Hi UT Tennis Fan,
I hope you had a great weekend! Unfortunately we dropped a heartbreaker on the road to TCU on Saturday, losing 4-3 in a match that came down to the wire (full TCU recap). It was a great college match, and in the end the difference between winning and losing was literally one point. We will have another crack at TCU in about 3 weeks, and it will be at home in a match that will count towards the Big 12 season. But we have plenty of tough matches to play before we even think about a rematch. And that starts with a showdown with #1 ranked Ohio State this coming Sunday at 2 pm at the Texas Tennis Center. The match will be broadcast live on The Longhorn Network (how to get LHN), and will therefore not be streamed. Your only two options for watching will be in person or on the Longhorn Network.

We expect another massive crowd, and our team is excited for the opportunity. Please help us spread the word about the match (2 pm Sunday vs #1 Ohio State). Be sure to get there a little early so you can get a seat! Our promotions team is planning some special gifts for those who show up early. I'll be back in touch towards the end of the week with one final reminder. Until then, have a great week, and Hook'em!

Sincerely,
Bruce Berque
 
Hi UT Tennis Fan,
I am writing with one final reminder about Sunday's 2 pm showdown vs current #1 Ohio State. We expect a very big crowd and a great environment, and suggest that you arrive early if you are planning to come. If you are out of town, your only opportunity to watch will be on the Longhorn Network (how to get the Longhorn Network). Live scoring will be available, but no stream. Please see the attached promotional flyer, and help us spread the word by sharing it with all your friends and groups that you belong to. After the Ohio State match we will hit the road for matches vs Georgia in Athens (Thursday) and vs USC in Los Angeles (next Sunday). We will kick off Big 12 Conference play the following weekend with home matches against Central Florida and TCU (March 22 and 24).

As you may know Eliot Spizzirri and Micah Braswell have been ranked #1 and #2 in the country respectively for the last several weeks. The ITA informed us a few days ago that there was a clerical error in the February 7 rankings, and that Micah should have been #1 that week. So the ITA has republished the rankings for that week. Congratulations to Micah on the amazing milestone! The ITA believes that this is the first time in history that one team has had two different players reach the #1 ranking in the same season!

Thanks for your support, and hope to see you on Sunday! Hook'em!

Sincerely,
Bruce Berque
 
Hi UT Tennis Fan,
It was a great day at the Texas Tennis Center yesterday. Beautiful weather, over 1,000 fans packing the stands, and a 5-2 win for the Longhorns over previously unbeaten and #1 ranked Ohio State. We won a tightly contested doubles point, settled by a tiebreaker at #1, and followed it up with 4 commanding straight set wins (#'s 1-3 singles, and #6 singles). For the full recap, including a few video clips from the Longhorn Network broadcast, please click here.

We will travel to Athens, Georgia tomorrow for Thursdays match up with Georgia, and then head west to L.A. for Sunday's match vs USC. We will then be back at the TTC in less than two weeks for the beginning of Big 12 Conference play, taking on UCF on Friday, March 22 at 7 pm, and TCU on Sunday, March 24 at 4 pm. Looking forward to another packed house! Hook'em!

Sincerely,
Bruce Berque
 
Hi UT Tennis Fan,
Just writing with a quick reminder that we will play Georgia tomorrow (Thursday) at 5 pm eastern time in Athens, Georgia. Click here for a link to the match preview, including links to live scoring and video. And for a look back at our big win over Ohio State on Sunday, here is a link to a brief highlight clip put together by The Longhorn Network.

After our match vs Georgia tomorrow, we will head to L.A., where we will play USC on Sunday. And then next weekend we will begin Big 12 Conference play for the final time. Both matches will be at home. We will take on UCF on Friday, March 22 at 7 pm, and then follow that up with another showdown vs TCU, this time at 4 pm on Sunday, March 24. Mark your calendars now....you won't want to miss it!

Thanks for following, and supporting our program, and Hook'em!

Sincerely,
Bruce Berque
 
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