No. 23 Duke Announces Spring Slate

DURHAM, N.C. – Following an abbreviated 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Duke men's tennis head coach Ramsey Smith is excited to announce the 2021 campaign.

Duke begins the season ranked 23rd in the Oracle/ITA Division I Preseason Rankings alongside four league opponents. Smith's team is scheduled to play seven schools featured in the preseason poll.

The Blue Devils start the year with the ACC Challenge Jan. 16-18 – an individualized event – where doubles action kicks off the weekend in the Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center on Saturday, Jan. 16. Duke hosts singles play versus NC State on Sunday, followed by doubles and singles action against Virginia Tech on Monday.

Duke opens team competition at the ITA Kickoff Weekend hosted in Chapel Hill, where they will face No. 20 South Carolina on Sunday, Jan. 24 and the winner of No. 2 North Carolina vs. Northwestern on Monday, Jan. 25. The winner of the regional advances to the National Team Indoor Championships held in Champaign, Ill., Feb. 12-14.

Smith's schedule features eight home matches, beginning with its home-opening weekend against Campbell on Friday, Jan. 29 and UNCW on Sunday, Jan. 31.

The following weekend, the Blue Devils will make their first road trip of the 2021 campaign, stopping at Tennessee on Friday, Feb. 5, and Kentucky on Feb. 7 to open their six-match road stretch. Duke begins its conference slate with a pair of road matches at Georgia Tech on Friday, Feb. 26 and Clemson on Sunday, Feb. 28 before traveling to Notre Dame on Friday, March 5 and Louisville on Sunday, March 7.

Duke closes its home drought with a league matchup versus Boston College on Sunday, March 14. A few days later, the Blue Devils head down Tobacco Road to square up with North Carolina on Wednesday, March 17.

Wrapping up its away schedule, Duke plays at Virginia on Friday, March 26 before taking on Virginia Tech on Sunday, March 28 in Blacksburg, Va. The Blue Devils are set to host its five final matches of the season, beginning with a non-conference midweek against Liberty on Wednesday, March 31.

The Blue Devils round out the year with four ACC matches against NC State (April 9), Wake Forest (April 11), Florida State (April 16) and Miami (April 17).

Duke's postseason journey begins with the ACC Championship held in Rome, Ga., April 22-25. Following ACC's, Smith's squad looks to make the program's 28th NCAA Tournament appearance.

Due to the impact of COVID-19, Duke University will begin its spring sport program seasons without spectators at home events. Contests played on Duke's campus will include essential game management personnel and broadcast media. Traditional parking lots used by fans on game day will be close.

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No. 23 Duke Announces Spring Slate

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