Open Announce

Men's Tennis Hosts Lobo Invitational

2017 Lobo Invitational Flights & Schedule

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico’s men tennis team hosts their annual kick-off to the 2017-18 tennis season with the Lobo Invitational Sept. 29 – Oct. 1 at the McKinnon Family Tennis Stadium and Linda Estes Tennis Center. 

In preparation for the invitational, eighth ranked professional doubles players Mike and Bob Bryan, 16th ranked singles player Sam Querrey, and retired tennis player Mardy Fish taught the Lobos in a practice session at the practice courts. The session started with tips and a few words from each of the players, and concluded with the Lobos practicing a variety of skills with guidance from the professionals.

Formally known as the Balloon Fiesta Invitational, the Lobo Invitational will once again feature five teams, 12 courts, two sites and a unique flight-play set-up that will make for lots of matches and lots of action. The two sites are both at the UNM athletic facilities, with all doubles matches taking place at the McKinnon Family Tennis Stadium and the singles matches being split between McKinnon and the Linda Estes Tennis Center. 

Joining the Lobos over the three day tournament is New Mexico State, Northern Arizona, Abilene Christian, Air Force and Denver. The tournament will be a flighted event, with each doubles team, or singles player, competing in four matches over the course of the tournament. Each flight will have its own standings and winner.
 
For the Lobos, they will enter the tournament without Tim Buttner, Ricky Hernandez Tong and Dominic West, as they will be competing at the ITA All-American Regional Championships in Tulsa, Okla. (Sept. 30 – Oct. 4). The Lobos will put out Philip Stockmar in Flight 1, Jorge Escutia in Flight 2, Sean Baklini in Flight 3, and Michael Tran in Flight 4 of the singles flights. The Lobos will be missing two players in Flights 5 and 6 but New Mexico State and Air Force will have their players there to fill out the bracket. 
 
In doubles for UNM, Bakilini and Stockmar will play in Flight 1 and Escutia and Tran will play in Flight 2. The New Mexico State doubles team of Mendard and Rosas will fill out Flight 3 for the Lobos.
 
The tournament will begin at 8 a.m. on Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m. on Sunday with doubles matches. There will be two rounds of doubles matches taking place at 8 and 9 a.m. at McKinnon and will follow with the singles matches. 
 
Singles matches will play out on both the McKinnon and Linda Estes courts at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
 
The Lobos schedule will begin playing at 8 a.m. on Friday morning in doubles against Denver and Air Force. New Mexico will only play once in singles on Friday at 10 a.m. against Northern Arizona. All matches will take place at the McKinnon Family Tennis Stadium.
 
On Saturday, UNM will face off agianst the New Mexico State doubles teams at 8 a.m. before taking on Denver in singles matches at 11 a.m. Saturday is a full day as the Lobos will finish at 1 p.m. on the singles courts with Air Force.
 
On Sunday, UNM will play its last doubles flight at 10 a.m. against Northern Arizona before facing New Mexico State at 11 a.m. in their final singles flights.

Be sure to follow UNM Men’s Tennis on Facebook and @UNMMenTennis on Twitter for updates throughout the weekend.