NC State men’s tennis is 13-5 so far this year, and it wouldn’t be there without redshirt junior Michael Ogden, who has been a great player for NC State throughout his time, winning more than 10 matches combined in each of his three years he has competed.
The team struggled for a bit in ACC play, but also started the season 9-0 while running through nonconference play. The Wolfpack finished nonconference play at 10-1, including a win over then-No. 22 Tennessee in Knoxville. The Pack has a 3-4 record in the ACC, a tough tennis conference that includes the current No. 1 team in the country, Wake Forest. Head coach Kyle Spencer, however, preaches a mentality with the team that no matter the score, play your game and focus on getting better.
“We look at the team as a whole of how do we get better,” Spencer said. “How do we compete at the highest level? How does each person in the spot that they’re placed in for that match handle their situation? I think we’ve been very pleased as a coaching staff with how the guys have responded to those challenges.
“Not every match is going to be perfect and by that token, not every match is going to give you the result that you want, but this team is really embraced the coaching and the practicing and just the ability to forget about what the score is and just try to take whatever the situation in the match is, and try to execute as best they can.”
Ogden this year has played in just 10 singles matches, going 6-4, compared to the 34 he played in last season, going 14-20. Spencer, however, says that Ogden is still very much in the singles lineup if needed despite Ogden not being in a singles match from Jan. 13 until he played back-to-back singles matches at the end of March.
“I don’t think he’s been a doubles player’” Spencer said. “I think we just have a really competitive lineup and he got sick earlier in the year and he’s had, not injuries, but a couple of setbacks where it’s taken him a little bit longer to get back into the fold. He’s absolutely one of our options and I think he’s shown his prowess at the national level in doubles and I fully expect him to be able to in singles whenever we need him.”
Ogden looks at the situation as a way to improve his doubles game with a new set of coaches that came in this year.
“It’s been good,” Ogden said. “I’ve been able to focus on the doubles a lot more and with these coaches, they have a good background in doubles and my doubles games has definitely progressed a lot. Obviously it’s tough not being in singles as much but we have really good competition with all the guys in the lineup and me and a couple other guys just outside push each other really well and always ready to go whenever I need to be”
Ogden has played with two different partners, junior Georgiy Malyshev and sophomore Alexis Galarneau, for all but one match this season. With Malyshev, Ogden has won four matches and he has won 11 matches with Galarneau as his partner, and is ranked 63rd in the nation for doubles with Galarneau.
“It doesn’t affect the way I play really, the communication is a little different.” Ogden said. “Georgiy and Alexis have different strengths but I try to keep my game the same, that’s what coach says, and it’s not that big of change. I played really well with Georgiy when we did, and obviously me and Alexis have a good history together, but for all the doubles lineups we have the same philosophy and I trust that each one of those guys can do what they have to do so it’s a pretty smooth transition.”
Ogden has shown flashes of greatness, including two semifinals appearances in singles tournaments last year. Over the last two years, Ogden has also added three more semifinals appearances in doubles and one finals appearance in the 2017 ITA Division 1 Carolina Regional Championship with Galarneau, where they were defeated by a pair from Wake Forest. Ogden has continued to work hard at his game to get better.
“Michael is just one of the hardest workers and nicest people that you could ever meet,” Spencer said. “What he’s really starting to understand is the development of his game, how to use his weapons, and his weapons are vast and harnessing that into a single very simple focus has been his challenge and each week he continues to get better, and better and better. He’s a pleasure to coach and I’m super excited for his development and his future.”
