The Whiteman Tennis Center has been bubbling with optimism this season and rightfully so — after a promising start from the ASU's men's tennis team. Following a 14-12 season last year, the Sun Devils added talent, continued to work and most importantly didn't lose any of their stars from last season.
The team started with two shutout wins against NAU and Wichita State and were a point away from defeating then No. 25 ranked Baylor.
Head coach Matt Hill believes the team already has an articulable identity. He said what makes the squad special is its mixture of both seasoned leaders and young rising stars. Hill said he hasn't seen that before in his tenure with ASU.
"We've got a nicely balanced group identity-wise," Hill said. "You've got older seniors and leaders, and then you’ve got a lot of really young talent that's finding their way inside of college tennis. You're seeing the older guys lead some of the younger guys, which is a mix that I would say we haven’t had since we restarted the program."
Regardless of opponent, ASU continues to feel like they have the upper hand in two areas – the doubles point and junior Murphy Cassone.
In all three matches this season, the Sun Devils have secured the doubles point. Hill knew this was going to be a strength when their doubles squads routinely kept it close against some of the top teams in the country in Miami this preseason.
Assuming this dominance in doubles continues, ASU will start the vast majority of their matchups this season with a 1-0 lead, as doubles is the first point awarded in college tennis.
Cassone, the other reason for ensured optimism, is one of the best tennis players in the country. The junior was formally the number 1 prospect out of Kansas and has lived up to the ranking from the moment he stepped on the court.
READ MORE: Tennis freshman Murphy Cassone thinks 'like a shark' on the court
Last season, Cassone was the first Sun Devil to reach All-American status in men's tennis since 1995 as he advanced to the men's tennis semifinals.
"I feel like I've done a pretty good job this season," Cassone said. "I came off a pretty good Fall, so going into the Spring you just want to keep your head down and not get any expectations on your head."
Against Baylor on Friday, Cassone beat the Bears’ best, Tadeas Paroulek, in a win that sparked a comeback effort for the Sun Devils. Shortly after the 6-2 win, sophomore Roi Ginat evened the score, while senior Jacob Bullard rallied to force a third set in the final match.
However, Bullard was outdueled by Oskar Brostrom Poulsen of Baylor in the third set, ending the Sun Devils comeback effort in an unsatisfactory loss. Baylor won 4-3. The loss displayed the areas in which ASU needs to improve. Hill noted the back line’s mixed results today, while Cassone highlighted low-team morale.
"Back of the lineup we’ve got to keep improving on," Hill said. "Tonight was great. Roi (Ginat) won his match. He’s been playing really well. He worked super hard over winter break, and look it shows."
For Ginat, this is only the beginning of his ascension.
"It's only the start of the season so I'm excited to keep improving and building as the season goes along," Ginat said.
Hill said he believes ASU can compete with anyone at the top of the lineup. The wild card is the back of the lineup.
While equally optimistic about the team's future, Cassone was particularly underwhelmed with the team's energy and attitude on Friday. He said everyone needs to stay hungry and in the mindset of hunting people down.
"Our team has been having great practices lately, but I think we might have gotten a little too comfortable, a little too complacent and it showed in the singles today," Cassone said.
Nonetheless, the 2-1 start has shown potential and provided enough information to lay the foundation for a successful Sun Devil season. Optimism echoes around the Whiteman Tennis Center, calling its coaches and players to feel like something about this roster makes this season different. For Hill, there's a certain understanding that comes with that.
"We know what we have," Hill said. "We really have high trust in this team this year and it's gonna be really fun to see as we grow."
Edited Vinny DeAngelis, Alysa Horton and Shane Brennan
Reach the reporter at jwkartso@asu.edu and follow @kartsonis3 on X.
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