Monday Garners SEC Player of the Week Honor

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Following a 7-0 week at the ITA Indoor National Championships, Tennessee men’s tennis sophomore Johannus Monday has been named the SEC Player of the Week, the conference announced Wednesday.

The Honor comes after the Vols posted a 3-1 record at the ITA Indoor National Championships in Seattle this weekend, including a run to the tournament’s Championship match. Each of Tennessee’s four opponents were ranked inside the ITA’s top 13. Monday was 3-0 in singles and 4-0 on the doubles courts, alongside partner Mark Wallner.

It’s the first Player of the Week award for Monday, after being a seven-time SEC Freshman of the Week last season.

As the nation’s 10th-ranked singles player, Monday rolled to a 6-2, 6-2 Victory on court two over Texas A & M’s Pierce Rollins Friday after taking the opening set in just over 20 minutes. That preceded his Saturday triumph over Toby Samuel of South Carolina, 5-7, 6-3, 6-1. Monday decisively won 11 of the final 12 games in that match, earning a key Victory as the Big Orange advanced to the semifinal round of the ITA Indoors.

His third singles win came in convincing fashion over TCU’s 15th-ranked Juan Carlos Aguilar, as he collected a 6-4, 6-1 win at the No. 2 singles slot. Monday has now won 14 of his past 15 completed singles matches, dating back to the fall season. In all, he holds an 18-4 overall singles record this season, with a 10-1 mark in dual matches. Monday’s win over Aguilar on Monday was the 50th^th overall singles win of his Tennessee career and 33^rd dual singles win of his career.

In doubles action, Monday paired up with Wallner, a Graduate student, to earn four doubles wins in as many days. The first of which came over Texas A&M’s Raphael Perot and Giulio Perego, 6-4, followed by a 6-3 win over James Story and Raphael Lambling of South Carolina the following day. With the tournament field narrowed down to four teams, Monday picked up a crucial 7-5 Victory on court three of doubles over the Baylor pairing of Adrian Boitan and Tadeas Paroulek to help earn Tennessee the doubles point in an eventual 4-2 Vols win.

A 6-3 win over TCU’s Juan Carlos Aguilar and Tim Ruehl on Sunday marked the seventh overall win for Monday in Seattle, as they improved to 5-0 when paired with Wallner in doubles this season. Monday’s four doubles wins in Seattle moves him to 8-3 in the dual season and 12-5 overall in doubles, including fall action.

Monday and the Vols are back in action Tuesday at 1 pm ET against Furman from Barksdale Stadium.