CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. ? Austin Peay State University men's tennis team opens its duel season with a 1 p.m., Friday, match at Memphis. The Govs look to carry over their momentum from a strong Fall season that saw them finish 34-14 (.708 winning percentage) in two tournaments.

Austin Peay returns the deepest top seven players in head coach Ed Dickson's short tenure at the helm. Led by seniors Leandro Tolosa-Kenklusen and Patrick Puertolas ? who were a combined 8-2 in two Fall showings ? the Govs also boast a talented player in Lucas De Brito. The junior from Brazil dispatched Mississippi State's Maximelien Genuini in the first round of the Middle Tennessee Invitational in straight sets and blasted Murray State's Yuri Pompeu, 10-2, at the Austin Peay Invitational.

Leonardo Locatelli, a sophomore from Brazil, played a close match with Murray State's Hunter Gurlach and emerged with a 10-8 win at the APSU Invitational. Locateilli last defeated Gurlach in three sets for the Govs only win over the Racers in the final match of the 2007 season.

“I am almost never concerned how talented our opponents may be,” Dickson said. “I am only interested in how we play. This is the most talented top seven men
Austin Peay has had since I have been here and if we can keep down our unforced errors we will do all right. If we can stay positive in the crucial portions of our matches we will be ready to become one of the successful OVC tennis teams.”

The Tigers return five letterwinners from its 8-13 team, last season. Senior Amrit Narasimham, the 2006-07 Conference USA Newcomer of the Year, was ranked No. 98 in the preseason ITA rankings. Several Memphis players saw shortened Fall seasons due to injuries, including last season's No. 2 senior Jimmy Khougassian and junior Benedikt Fischer.

- AP -