After starting off with a successful month at home, the Oregon men’s tennis team (6-2 overall) heads to California this weekend for its first away matches of the season.
The No. 75 Ducks will take on Pacific today before battling Santa Clara University on Sunday afternoon.
Director of tennis and men’s coach Nils Schyllander says that the Ducks will need to adapt to playing outdoors in California.
“We’re gonna have to play outside, and that’s totally different from the indoor game,” Schyllander said. “It’s slower, there’s wind and sun, and you don’t have the ceiling, so the depth perception is different. And Santa Clara’s a very rowdy crowd, so it’s going to be a couple of challenges we don’t face at home.”
It also doesn’t help that Eugene’s rainy weather over the last week has prevented the Ducks from practicing on the outdoor courts.
Still, Schyllander is optimistic about his squad’s chances this weekend.
“These guys have come a long way in a month, so I’m feeling pretty good about it,” he said. “And we’ll also be able to get in two practices in California before we play. So I think we’ll be fine.”
Oregon will have sophomore Gustavo Loza in the lineup for the first time this season. For reasons that Schyllander declined to reveal, Loza has not been able to play yet this season.
Freshman Ric Mortera also hopes to finally make his return from an injury sustained after the Ducks’ 6-1 defeat of Idaho at the end of January.
Mortera suffered two partial tears to a muscle in his right forearm and only just started practicing with the team again this week.
The redshirt freshman transferred to Oregon after spending his freshman year at California where he was on the Bears’ travel team but did not play. When California agreed to release him, Mortera – who grew up in Portland – contacted Schyllander and expressed interest in playing for the Ducks.
“Part of the reason that I came was that I felt like I could have an immediate impact and contribute a lot,” Mortera said. “I came in with the understanding that this year was supposed to be a ‘rebuilding’ year. But I think we could actually really break out this year.”
Schyllander pounced on the opportunity to sign Mortera, whom the Ducks had initially recruited out of high school.
“He’s one of our best and smartest players,” Schyllander said. “He just knows how to win. He’s been a winner his whole career and he brings a good attitude into the lineup.”
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