By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
 
When Baylor men's tennis was ranked 15^th in the preseason poll three years ago, Christopher Frantzen said it was "basically a joke for us."
 
The joke was on everyone else when the Bears swept the Big 12 regular-season and tournament titles in 2021 and made the NCAA Tournament finals for the fourth time, losing to Florida, 4-1.
 
Coming off a disappointing 17-16 season and the earliest NCAA Tournament exit in 22 years, losing to Florida State in the first round, Baylor is 25^th in the ITA preseason poll going into Saturday's season-opening doubleheader against ACU and Lamar at the Hawkins Indoor Tennis Center.
 
"That's our motivation," said Frantzen, a team captain along with senior Tadeas Paroulek. "Last year was something that we didn't want to happen and felt like it shouldn't have happened because we have enough talent, we have good enough guys to where we know where we could be. I think this is like a revenge season."
 
Fourth-year head coach Michael Woodson said everyone on the team is "motivated to have a little bit of a rebound season from last year."
 
"We had some successes, and I think there was a lot of growth," Woodson said. "But you didn't necessarily see it in the wins and losses. Last season wasn't up to Baylor tennis standard. I think everybody knows that. There was a lot learned, and I think there's an excitement about being able to attack this year."
 
After playing predominantly at No. 5 singles in 2022 as a sophomore, earning Big 12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors, Paroulek moved to the top of the Bears' lineup last year and was a combined 12-6 at Nos. 1 and 2.
 
"It was a fairly unique experience for me," said Paroulek, who transferred from TCU after his freshman season. "The year before, I played more at the bottom. I played No. 5 (singles). Last year, I played more at the 1 and 2, so it was a new experience. And believe this year, I will be able to use that experience to help the team."
 
The 6-5 Frantzen has had a hard time staying healthy, but he is 14-1 all-time in dual-match singles and went a combined 6-1 last year at Nos. 4, 5 and 6 singles. Asked what he wanted to get out of this season, he said, "A ring, hopefully, maybe a couple of rings, if possible."
 
While Paroulek has had to get out of his comfort zone to be more of a vocal leader this year, Frantzen is a "natural leader" who learned how to be a captain from his older brother, Constantin Frantzen.
 
"I think he's just been waiting for his opportunity to rally the troops," Woodson said of Chris. "He's always been so helpful to the young guys, even when he wasn't a captain. (Paroulek and Frantzen) do a good job of balancing each other and really finding their niche as leaders. They complement each other well, so it's been a nice marriage so far."
 
Since Finn Bass was more of a doubles specialist and Juampi Mazzuchi played predominantly at Nos. 4 and 5 singles, Baylor returns most of its key pieces. Paroulek, Marko Miladinovic and Zsombor Velcz were consistently in the top three spots, while Frantzen, Ethan Muza, Justin Braverman and Luc Koenig rotated at No. 6.
 
To that core, Woodson added first-year freshmen Devin Badenhorst and Louis Bowden and Middle Tennessee transfer Oskar Brostrom Poulsen, a two-time All-Conference USA first-team doubles selection who added second-team singles honors last year.
 
"I think they're going to make a huge impact on this team, not just with their level of tennis – which is very high – but also their confidence and professionalism they bring to the program," Woodson said.
 
"Normally, it takes the young guys time to get used to being a part of a team, to get used to understanding how to balance not just the academic side, but just the professionalism it takes to be able to compete hard and train hard every day. And these guys are far ahead of what you would typically get. They're already making all the other guys better."
 
The 6-7 Badenhorst is the highest-ranked South African juniors player in his age bracket and was ranked as high as No. 2 in the ITF juniors rankings with nine singles titles and six in doubles, two while partnered with Koenig.
 
"Devin is a great player, he has a great potential," Paroulek said. "He was a top-30 junior in the world, so he's a great addition to our team, and I think he will prove it in the season. He's a tall guy, serving is pretty big and he moves really well for his size. I think he's going to be very valuable to us."
 
Baylor will face ACU at noon and Lamar at 6 p.m., trying to sweep a season-opening opponent for the eighth consecutive year. The last time the Bears gave up a point in the opening match was a 4-1 win over UC Irvine in 2016.
WACO, Texas – The 25^th-ranked Baylor men's tennis team will open its 2024 season on Saturday at the Hawkins Indoor Tennis Center, hosting Abilene Christian at noon and Lamar at 6 p.m.
 
With only two matches held at home in January, the Bears hit the road with four matches in Arizona. The Bears play Arizona State on Jan. 18 and Arizona on the 21^st before heading back to Tucson to play in ITA Kickoff Weekend on Jan. 27-28.
 
The 2024 season is the fourth under the direction of head coach Michael Woodson, who boasts an 80-25 dual-match record over that span with four NCAA and ITA Indoor tournament berths.
 
"This group seems excited," said Woodson. "They've put their heads down. They were heavily motivated going into last offseason and they've worked really hard through this fall and into the winter and over the past week. So, I see a lot of excitement, not just for themselves but for the team. I think there's a ton of hope and belief that this is going to be a great year for this team and each of them individually."
 
Looking to make it eight straight years, a season-opening opponent has not scored a single point on the Bears since the 2016 opening match against UC Irvine, where the Bears won 4-1.
 
Bears face the Abilene Christian Wildcats for the sixth time since the beginning of the 2021 season on Saturday at noon. BU has only allowed one point from ACU since then, coming in a 6-1 Baylor win in January of 2021.
 
BU leads the all-time series against ACU at 18-3, with the Wildcat wins coming in 1981 and 1992.
 
Hosting Lamar in the opening doubleheader for the second-straight year, the Bears look for their 12th-straight win over the Cardinals. With a 4-11 record, Lamar hasn't taken a match from BU since 1984.
 
Saturday's doubleheader is a mirrored replica of the 2021 season opener, the first year under Woodson, where the Bears played Lamar and ACU, winning 7-0 and 6-1, respectively.
 
In the final fall rankings, released Nov. 15, Baylor brings in Tadeas Paroulek as the lone singles player in the top 125 at No. 32. All Baylor doubles teams ended the fall season outside of the top 60.
 
Three brand-new Bears will suit up for the first time in a dual match for BU in freshmen Devin Badenhorst and Louis Bowden, and Middle Tennessee transfer Oskar Brostrom Poulsen. Martin Breysach and Arman Zamani are two returners who earned eligibility over the offseason and get to don the green and gold after completing their true-freshman year.
 
"[The newcomers] are going to make a huge impact on this team, not just with their level of tennis, which is very high, but also their confidence and their professionalism that they bring into the program," said Woodson. "Normally, it takes the young guys time to get used to being a part of a team, to get used to understanding how to balance not just the academic side, but just the professionalism it takes to be able to compete hard and train hard day-in and day-out, and these guys are far ahead of what you would typically get.
 
Fans attending Saturday's matches will receive the 2024 team poster in the ACU match and free pizza and drinks in the match against Lamar.
 
For the latest news on the Baylor men's tennis team all year long, follow its official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts: @BaylorMTennis.