PHILADELPHIA – Temple men’s tennis looks to carry their success from a strong fall season into spring play as they prepare for a 23-match season beginning on the road at Princeton on Sunday, Jan. 16.
The Owls finished the 2021 season 11-5, which included a perfect 3-0 home record and five sweeps. While finding lots of success, the Cherry and White also had to overcome many obstacles, including three cancellations throughout the season and the year-end cancellation of the American Athletic Conference tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite the abrupt end to 2021 spring play, the Owls were able to carry their momentum into the fall season, finding major success at the ITA Regional and Super Regional tournaments. The doubles pairs of Marin Delmas and Louis Gorregues and Léo Raquin and Thibault Frumholz highlighted the weekend. Each pair played their way to the double’s quarterfinals of the regional tournament to earn a bid to ITA Super Regionals. Delmas also qualified for singles play. At Super Regionals, Delmas and Gorregues advanced to the doubles semifinals before falling to nationally recognized UVA in a tie-break.
Temple is led by head coach Steve Mauro who is in his 17th year at the helm of the men’s program. The Owls welcome back six returners, including seniors Amine Zraidi, Frumholz, and Gorregues along with Delmas, a junior. Sophomores Raquin and Grégoire Baréty return for their second year with the Cherry and White.
“We have a lot of great talent returning,” Mauro said. “All the men had wonderful seasons last year and they really were able to carry that into the fall this year. It’s a great group of leaders.”
Aside from the six returners, the Owls will welcome four newcomers, including three freshman and one transfer. Surya Vinjamuri, Henrique Petiz, and Hussein El Tawil will look to compete in their first spring season of collegiate tennis while Jericho Grollman joins the Owls as a sophomore transfer from Campbellsville University.
“The newcomers that we brought in are all very high-level players,” Mauro said. “We are excited to bring them the college level playing experience and I think they will do a lot for this team.”
Temple has a strong 2022 slate in store, featuring four American Athletic Conference opponents (SMU, Memphis, Wichita State, Tulsa) and will compete in the AAC Championship from April 21-24.
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