IU (16-9, 5-4) hosts both Michigan (5-15, 2-7) and Michigan State (11-15, 2-7) this weekend.
“I’d like for us to get out to great starts in both doubles and singles,” IU Coach Jeremy Wurtzman said. “And I’d like for us to play with no fear out there and finish matches strong, and I think that’s what we’ve been talking a lot about throughout the season, and it would be great to finish the regular season off with two wins at home.”
IU will have the advantage of playing at home for both matches and will play two teams that have struggled so far in the Big Ten season. Wurtzman, however, is not underestimating the ?Wolverines.
“Throughout their whole lineup they are very talented and good tennis players,” Wurtzman said. “They played a very difficult schedule. Their record isn’t going to show exactly how good they really are. And me knowing their team, I know they have a lot of great players. I think it’s going to take our best tennis and our best competitive effort to be able win tomorrow. I know that going in, and we talked about that as a team.”
Wurtzman, the former associate head coach for the Wolverines’ tennis team, will now face some of his old ?players.
As Michigan’s former associate head coach, Wurtzman said he learned from his experience in Ann Arbor.
“I think I learned what it’s like to help build a team,” Wurtzman said. “I think the team that they have now is a great group of athletes that is going to make Michigan a very good team.”
On Sunday, IU will host Michigan State, who is coming off of a 7-0 loss at home against Minnesota. But Wurtzman said the Spartans are better than their record and past results show.
“They’re a feisty, competitive team,” Wurtzman said. “They play very good doubles, so we know that’s going to be a very strong point for them and that we’re going to have to match up against them if we want to be successful in the doubles point. Throughout the singles lineup they are not going to give up at all and you’re really going to have to finish them.”
Wurtzman knows how important it is to stay ahead against the Spartans.
“We have to start well and finish well,” Wurtzman said. “It’s going to be very key in that match to put ourselves in position to finish strong.”
