HONOLULU, O'ahu – The University of Hawai'i men's tennis team opens its 2021 season with a pair of matches against Big West Conference foe UC Riverside, Monday, March 22, and Tuesday, March 23 at the UH Tennis Complex. Both matches are scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m. Monday's match will count toward the Big West standings while Tuesday's match is considered non-conference.
 
While UH will play its first two matches of the season, UC Riverside (0-2) has a couple of matches under its belt, with losses to Azusa Pacific and Fresno State. UH and UCR last played in Hawai'i's 2019 home finale, with the Highlanders pulling out a 4-3 victory. 
 
Later in the week, the 'Bows will continue their Big West Conference-filled schedule with a California road trip against Cal Poly, Friday, March 26, and UC Santa Barbara, Sunday, March 28. Cal Poly (7-7) holds an unbeaten 4-0 home record while UCSB (1-2) will host two other matches in the week before the Rainbow Warriors. UH dropped meetings with both teams in 2019.
 
Hawai'i will be all three team's Big West opener. 
 
The 'Bows return all their starters from a squad that went 9-6 last season along with the addition of freshmen Hobbes Wilstead of Kīhei Charter School. In singles, No. 111-ranked sophomore Andre Ilagan played at the No. 1 court for the majority of last season while junior Lucas Labrunie steadily held the No. 2 spot. Junior Blaz Seric and freshmen Axel Labrunie each sported a team-best 10-3 record last season playing at the No. 3 and No. 4 courts, respectively. Junior Tristan Martins maintained an eight-match win streak during the season at the No. 6 court. 
 
In doubles, Ilagan and Labrunie played at the No. 1 spot and ended the season with a seven-match win streak while sophomore Simao Telo Alves held a 7-4 mark at the No. 3 court with former partner, Chia-Hua Lu.
 
Head Coach Joel Kusnierz enters his second season after being named the head coach in the fall of 2019, succeeding former head coach John Nelson. Last season, Kusnierz was leading the 'Bows to their best start since 2006 until the pandemic put an end to the season.

Dual Match 
Who: Hawai'i (0-0) vs. UC Riverside (0-2)
When: Monday, March 22 and Tuesday, March 23
Time: 3:00 p.m. each day
Where: UH Tennis Complex; Honolulu, O'ahu