VALDOSTA, Ga. – Following the postponement of the Keiser match from Sunday, the Valdosta State men's tennis program is scheduled to open Gulf South Conference play Friday at 3 p.m. versus Christian Brothers in Carrollton, Ga.  VSU then returns home to host Flagler Sunday at 2 p.m. at the VSU Tennis Courts.
 
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, fans will need to socially distance at home matches this season and face coverings will be required at all times for all guests over the age of two (2).
 
The Blazers are 1-0 on the year after a 4-1 victory over No. 23 North Georgia on Feb. 7.  VSU's match with No. 9 Flagler, which originally scheduled for Feb. 5, was moved to Feb. 21, because of inclement weather in Valdosta on Feb. 5.  The Blazers won the doubles point against UNG behind wins from senior Yohan Nguyen and junior Florian Simbozel at the top spot, while UNG won at No. 2 doubles and freshmen Cameron Henricy Trigolos and Christian Wedel won at No. 3 in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (11-9). 
 
Nguyen won at the top spot in singles, 6-4, 6-2, while Wedel won at No. 3, 6-4, 6-3 and freshman Luca Mack won at No. 4, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 to clinch the team victory.  Nguyen was tabbed Gulf South Conference Player of the Week for his efforts the first week of the season.  
 
Christian Brothers had its first two matches of the season cancelled against Blue Mountain and Martin Methodist.  The Buccaneers finished the COVID-19 shortened season with a 1-3 mark in the GSC and 11-5 overall, including 7-5 in the spring. 
 
Returning for the Bucs this season is senior Paul Chabaud, who went 12-2 at the top spot in singles last season and 9-5 at the top position in doubles with fellow returnee Atillo Flores.  Carlson Bennage and Andrews Calzacorta went 10-5 at the No. 2 doubles position last season, while Calzacorta was 8-3 at No. 4 singles and 11-4 overall in singles. 
 
Flagler enters the week with a No. 9 ranking in the preseason ITA Division II Men's Poll.  The Saints were 7-5 last season before the COVID-19 Pandemic.  Flagler competed in the ITA Regional in the fall as Rodrigo Carvalho went 3-1 in singles, advancing to the semifinals. Cedric Holzmann went 1-1, while Carvalho and Philipp Lemken went 2-1 in doubles, losing in the semifinals.
 
Following the matches this week, the Blazers are scheduled to close the month of February at Auburn Montgomery on Feb. 26 at 3 p.m. ET.  Check back with vstateblazers.com on the men's tennis schedule page for complete recaps and box scores all season long.