It should be labeled "The Thriller at Linder."
After 12 days of rest, the UF men's tennis team will be back in action against a familiar opponent in No. 2 Mississippi today at 3 p.m. The No. 7 Gators hope to avenge a 4-1 loss to the Rebels at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Indoor Championships on Feb. 15.
"I've had times where we've played Ole Miss four times in a year," UF coach Andy Jackson said. "We've got a really good rivalry."
Junior Antoine Benneteau and freshman Joey Burkhardt are acquainted with the rivalry all too well. The No. 16 doubles team split two matches - both 8-6 - against Mississippi's pairing of Bram ten Berge and Jonas Berg, now ranked No. 2.
"That's the SEC rivalry where we beat them at the SEC Indoor when they were (No.) 1 in the country, then they got us back in Chicago," Jackson said. "So this is, for me, the rubber match. It will be a very important one."
The Rebels have won seven consecutive matches - three by shutout - including a 7-0 victory over Florida Atlantic on Wednesday.
The dual match raises questions concerning the layoff. Will the Gators be well-prepared after nearly two weeks off? Can they shake off any accumulated rust early enough against a dangerous conference opponent?
Jackson believes his team is ready to defend its turf.
"We really have been under the gun for a long period of time, playing the schedule. This is our third top-10 match in a row. We needed a break," he said. "I am concerned that we're going to be rusty, but I'm also very pleased at the way we came out of the break. We're healthier, we're fresher, we're excited about where we are."
WOMEN SET FOR OLE MISS: Hot off wins against then-No. 2 Georgia and then-No. 15 Tennessee, the UF women's tennis team (9-5, 3-1 SEC) heads to Oxford, Miss., to face the Rebels.
The recent victories catapulted the Gators from No. 23 to No. 14. To continue their ascent, they have to get past Mississippi.
"(The Rebels) have a couple new players at the top that are very good," UF coach Roland Thornqvist said. "They're much better at the top of the lineup than the bottom. Hopefully by then it would've gotten caught up with us to be fit but fresh."
Jo Mather, who won SEC Freshman of the Week honors for her performances against the Bulldogs and Volunteers, is excited about getting back on the court. And she's not the only one.
"I'm looking forward to playing," No. 29-ranked Anastasia Revzina said. "It's another day, another match. Just go there, have fun and play."
