Auburn University’s men’s tennis team began its 2026 season with two wins over Bellarmine at the Yarbrough Tennis Center. The Tigers secured victories of 7-0 and 5-0 in Saturday’s doubleheader, not dropping a single match throughout the day.
“It was great to get some match time on the court,” Auburn head coach Bobby Reynolds said after the doubleheader sweep. “You’re shaking off rust and competing in front of a crowd that’s close to you while working through things. I think we did a really good job, especially at No. 1 doubles where we got a couple of convincing wins, which set the tone and allowed the other guys to relax and settle in.”
In the first match, Nicholas Heng and Joey Phillips won their No. 1 doubles contest with a score of 6-0. Auburn also took both remaining doubles matches by scores of 6-2, securing the initial point for their team.
Freshman Manel Lazaro made his collegiate debut with a decisive singles win over Alex English (6-1, 6-0). Heng followed up with a dominant performance on court three (6-0, 6-0), giving Auburn an early lead. Senior Thomas Kennedy clinched his singles match against Colby Berson after taking control late in both sets.
Following those results, Phillips, Billy Blaydes, and Hamza Nasridinov each earned straight-set singles victories to complete Auburn’s shutout in the opening contest.
The second match saw Heng and Phillips repeat their earlier success at No. 1 doubles (6-0), while Kennedy and Lazaro teamed up for a 6-1 win on court three to secure another doubles point for Auburn.
Heng continued his strong form in singles play against Ryan Parkins (6-1, 6-0), quickly putting Auburn ahead again. Kennedy contributed another win (6-1, 6-0), followed by Lazaro’s victory on court five (6-1, 6-0) to clinch the overall result for Auburn before Phillips closed out play with another straight-set win.
The Tigers now hold a record of 2-0 this season. Their next matches are scheduled at home against Liberty at 10 a.m., followed by Alabama A&M at 3 p.m., both taking place Saturday at Yarbrough Tennis Center. The upcoming event will feature free donuts for fans as part of its “Doubles & Donuts” theme while supplies last.
