Men's Tennis Team, Reynolds Post Highest Rankings Ever 2/12/03

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - With the Vanderbilt men’s tennis team completely focused on this weekend’s Southeastern Conference showdown with No. 2-ranked Florida, the Commodores will travel to Gainesville with a little added pressure. With the release of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association national rankings on Wednesday, Vanderbilt received its highest national ranking ever of No. 21. The SEC showed its dominance once again, as there is no team ranked lower than No. 36.

The Commodores will carry a 9-1 overall record and a 2-1 conference mark in their match with No. 62-ranked Georgia State on Friday. Vanderbilt, whose highest ranking before Wednesday was No. 23, is off to its best start since head coach Ken Flach took over the reigns in 1997.

Junior Bobby Reynolds (Acworth, Ga.) received his highest ranking and
the school’s highest individual ranking ever, as he currently stands at No.
2 nationally. Reynolds, who was named the first SEC Player of the Week for
2003, carries a 17-match winning streak into Friday’s meeting Georgia State.
In the national poll, he only trails Benedikt Dorsch of Baylor. Of the
players ranked in the Top 10, Reynolds has defeated No. 3-ranked Bo Hodge
and No. 4-ranked Janne Holmia. He has defeated Holmia twice, one of which
was in the finals of the SEC Indoor Championships.

Junior Chad Harris (Aurora, Colo.) also jumped up two spots in the poll, as he moved up to No. 13. Harris and Reynolds have given Flach an incredible one-two punch at the top of the lineup. He is currently 22-7 overall and 7-1 in dual matches. If Florida’s lineup remains the same as it has been during the dual season, Harris will have a shot at Holmia, who defeated him back at the SEC Indoor’s in straight sets.

Sophomore Matt Lockin (Lilburn, Ga.), who was not ranked in the first ITA computer poll, comes in at No. 72. Lockin has been a solid contributor for the Commodores at the No. 3 position. He currently boasts a 16-7 overall record, while having won his last five dual matches.

In doubles, Harris and sophomore Scott Brown (St. Louis, Mo.) jumped up two spots to No. 7. Since Flach paired up Harris and Brown at the SEC Indoor’s, the duo has won 12 of 13 matches. At the SEC’s, Harris and Brown made it all the way to the finals. Also, they are a perfect 7-0 in dual matches. Reynolds and junior Lewie Smith (Memphis, Tenn.) enter this weekend’s competition at No. 43. They hold a 10-7 mark this year, but have competed against some of the top doubles teams in the country.