With the season officially opening on Friday, head boys tennis coach Matt Markman still has some maneuvering to do with his lineup. All except for the top two singles spots, that is.
“Those positions are set, but they can be interchangeable because both players are very strong,” said Markman, whose Cutters went 17-9 last season.
As of this writing, the No. 1 singles seat belongs to freshman Willen Feygin, who came into the program with a lot of experience on the youth circuit. However, junior Zach Lipson at No. 2 singles remains a formidable opponent for head of the class.
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“On any given day, they can beat one another,” said Markman, adding that it’s a good problem to have.
Lipson played third singles as a freshman but missed most of last season following knee surgery. But Markman said he has worked his way back and provides half of a solid 1-2 punch for Fair Lawn, which will have some pretty stiff competition in the Big North Conference.
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“We’ll definitely be facing better teams than we have in the past, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing,” he said, adding that his players are capable of rising to the occasion.
Max Perlman, who was slotted originally at third singles, may or may not end up in that position after suffering an ankle sprain a few weeks ago. But Markman anticipates strong doubles play from him, if that winds up being the situation.
“He’s a talented player, so he’ll be strong no matter where he plays,” said Markman.
The Cutters open their season on Friday against Ramapo at home at 4:15 p.m.
