The Saluki men’s tennis team needs a strong performance at this weekend’s Marquette Invitational to prepare for the ITA fall regionals.

The Salukis will take on Marquette University and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay at the tournament.

Head coach Dann Nelson said Marquette will be the best team at the tournament.

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Nelson said he has worked on two things this week to get his team ready for the indoor tournament. He said the team has tried to improve doubles play and its conditioning.

Freshmen Lucas Waked and Karl Nilsson are looking to improve in their second college matchups. Waked was the only player on the team with a victory at Sept. 23 at the Middle Tennessee Fall Invitational.

Waked said the team has been working double time all week to get prepared for the tournament.

“We have been practicing indoors and have been playing a lot of doubles matches to get better at that.” Waked said.

In their second go around, the freshmen should have better results. Nelson said the team heads into this tournament more relaxed.

“The freshmen have less pressure on them, but expectations are higher for this tournament.” Nelson said.

The Salukis won’t need the freshmen to carry the team if Rodrigo Lama plays as well in the tournament as in practice. At the MTSU fall invitational, Lama lost his individual match as well as his doubles match with Waked.

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Lama is the lone upperclassman on the team. Nelson said Lama looks to rebound from his match at MTSU. With Sergio Sanchez and Felipe Villasenor out with minor injuries, Nelson said the team looks for his leadership.

“Rodrigo has worked hard in practice all week,” Nelson said. “It’s time for him to take it to the next level.”