BERKELEY – The 43rd-ranked California men's tennis team concludes its regular-season home schedule when the Golden Bears (9-7, 1-2 Pac-12) host No. 28 UCLA (9-5, 1-1) on Friday and No. 10 USC (11-6, 1-1) on Saturday at 2 p.m. PDT at the Hellman Tennis Complex. UPDATE: Rain in Berkeley on Friday has delayed the start of the Cal-UCLA match from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
 
Surrounding the two matches, the Bears will celebrate the accomplishments of three segments of their community.
 
As part of Cal Athletics' year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the men's tennis program will honor Elaine Garcia – Cal's Assistant Athletic Director of Sports Medicine, and the Bears' long-time trainer – during Friday's match.
 
Prior to Saturday's match, the Bears will laud the careers of senior Philip Hjorth as well as Yuta Kikuchi and Siddhant Banthia, who are both pursuing graduate certificates at Cal, in its Senior Day ceremony. Also on Saturday, Cal will hold its annual McManus Legends Day, with the Bears commemorating the legacy of late alumnus Jim McManus throughout the match. As part of McManus Legends Day, Fuddruckers will provide free hamburgers to fans at Hellman while supplies last.
 
Admission is free for regular-season home tennis at Hellman. Additionally, fans can watch home matches through the Hellman live stream by clicking here and can keep track of the Bears on the team's Twitter @CalMensTennis.
 
Poll Position
Cal is ranked 43rd in this week's ITA team rankings. Yuta Kikuchi (12-6) is ranked 37th in singles, and the duo of Lucas Magnaudet and Ryder Jackson (13-2) is ranked 60th in doubles.
 
Scouting the Bears

• Cal's ties with the SoCal schools include Kris Kwinta – Cal's Peter Wright Director of Men's Tennis who is a UCLA alumnus (Class of 2008) and a former USC associate head coach (2014-21) and assistant coach (2012-14) – and junior Ryder Jackson, who transferred to Cal from USC last summer
• Jackson had an impressive first fall as a Bear, reaching the singles final of the ITA Northwest Super Regional Championships and competing in singles in the ITA National Fall Championships
• Yuta Kikuchi posted a big win In the Hawaii Invitational on Jan. 9, defeating Duke's fourth-ranked Garrett Johns, 7-5, 4-6, 1-0(5)
• In the fall, Kikuchi won his first professional singles title when he took the crown at the Norman Open in Oklahoma; the Japan native also reached the singles final of the KPSF Open in San Francisco
• Sophomore Carl Emil Overbeck has shone in doubles and singles, joining Jackson in the singles semifinals of super regionals and teaming with Kikuchi to repeat as doubles champs in the Battle in the Bay Classic in September
• The duo of sophomore Mikey Wright and freshman John Kim won the doubles title at the ITA Northwest Regional Championships in Berkeley in October
• Kris Kwinta is in his second season as the Peter Wright Director of Men's Tennis
• Former BYU player Francis Sargeant is in his second year as a Cal assistant coach

Scouting the Bruins

• UCLA split its last two matches, both in Arizona, losing to No. 18 Arizona, 4-0, on March 31 and beating No. 42 Arizona State, 4-3
• Alexander Hoogmartens is ranked 75th in singles
• The doubles pair of Hoogmartens and Patrick Zahraj is ranked 89th
• Billy Martin is in his 30th season as UCLA's head coach

Scouting the Trojans

• USC plays at No. 24 Stanford on Friday at 2 p.m.
• The Trojans likewise split their matches in Arizona, beating No. 42 Arizona State, 6-1, on March 31 and losing to No. 18 Arizona, 4-3, on April 2
• In singles, Stefan Dostanic is ranked 35th and Peter Makk is ranked 36th
• The duo of Dostanic and Bradley Frye is ranked 16th in doubles
• Brett Masi is in his fourth season as head coach of the Trojans

Next Time
Cal plays the Big Slam on April 15 at Stanford.
 
Stay Posted
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