Tulane Men’s Tennis faced a daunting task on the road as they traveled to Baton Rouge to square off against No. 21 LSU at the prestigious LSU Tennis Complex.
While the scoreboard ultimately reflected a comprehensive 7–0 victory for the hosts, the day was not without its bright spots for the Green Wave, particularly during a hard-fought doubles session.
The dual match began with a competitive battle for the opening point. Daniel Phillips and partner Lance Nisbet provided the highlight for the traveling side, showing remarkable chemistry to dispatch LSU’s Sasa Markovic and Andrej Loncarevic.
Phillips and Nisbet played aggressively to secure a 6–4 victory, momentarily putting the pressure on the ranked Tigers. However, LSU showed their depth elsewhere, clinching the remaining two doubles matches to secure the doubles point and a 1–0 lead heading into the singles portion of the contest.
In the marquee singles matchup, Phillips was handed the daunting assignment of the number one spot. He faced off against Olaf Pieczkowski, the Polish standout currently sitting at a formidable No. 502 in the ATP rankings.
Phillips pushed the world-ranked opponent close in a competitive opening set, finding his rhythm from the baseline. However, Pieczkowski’s professional experience eventually told, with the Pole pulling away in the second set to secure a 6–4, 6–1 win.
Thursday, January 29, 2026
Bermuda Heading for Cyprus in Historic World Group II Bid
IslandStats.com
The Bermuda Davis Cup team is departing for Larnaca, Cyprus, ahead of a high-stakes World Group II Play-off tie against Georgia scheduled for February 6th and 7th, 2026. In a late twist for the national side, the fixture was relocated from Georgia to the Herodotou Tennis Academy due to facility issues in the original host nation, though the Georgians will remain the official hosts for the hard-court encounter.
The squad—anchored by the professional experience of Daniel Phillips, and Trey Mallory, along with former world-ranked junior Wayne Montgomery and newcomer Zachary McGuire. The selection reflects a strategic blend of veteran stability and the youthful energy of Phillips and Mallory, who have been training in Louisiana and Florida respectively.
Before boarding the flight to Cyprus, Captain Rickey Mallory highlighted the significance of the upcoming tie, viewing it as a clear marker of the island's rising tennis profile.
"It’s definitely a great opportunity for us to be playing in this World Group II Play-off," said Mallory. "Competing in these play-offs represents a major step forward, especially after spending so many years in regional groups. For a small tennis nation like Bermuda, reaching this level shows real progress in player development and the commitment of everybody on the international stage".
Mallory emphasized that moving into the World Group II Play-offs means testing the squad against stronger nations while gaining valuable visibility and respect globally. He noted that the opportunity is the culmination of years of hard work by the players, coaches, and the association.
The winner of the tie will secure a place in World Group II later this year, while the losing nation faces a return to their respective Group III regional event.
Friday, January 23, 2026
Ole Miss Sweep Singles to overcome Phillips & Tulane in Oxford
IslandStats.com
The Ole Miss men’s tennis team extended their undefeated start to the season, overcoming an early setback in doubles to secure a 6 - 1 victory over Tulane at the William F. Galtney Indoor Tennis Center.
The Green Wave started strong by capturing the opening doubles point. While the Rebels secured a dominant win on court three, Tulane responded with a victory on court two to level the proceedings. In the third and final set of doubles on court one, No. 11 Isac Strömberg and Kai Milburn faced off against Daniel Phillips and Lance Nisbet in a high-stakes battle. The Tulane duo ultimately prevailed in a tense tiebreaker, winning 7-6 with a 7-4 score in the breaker to put the visitors ahead.
The momentum shifted dramatically as the match moved into singles competition, with Ole Miss reeling off six straight victories to dismantle the Tulane lead. Pietro Pampanin and Matthieu Chambonniere picked up efficient wins on courts three and two to put the Rebels ahead 2-1, followed by a clinical performance from Benjamin Martin on court five to extend the lead.
The final match of the day featured a grueling three-set battle between freshman Stefano D'Agostino and Phillips on court one. Phillips initially looked to be in control after taking the opening set 6-3, but D’Agostino fought back to force a deciding 10-point tiebreaker.
In a finish that kept the crowd on edge, D'Agostino emerged victorious with a 10-8 win in the tiebreaker, sealing the result with an ace. The win improves Ole Miss to 5-0 on the year, while Tulane drops to 1-1 following their season-opening win over Southern University.
Thursday, January 22, 2026
Heyliger is the ITF's New Caribbean Development Officer
IslandStats.com
Growing the game from the ground up and creating opportunities for players everywhere to chase their dreams are key purposes of the ITF and what the world governing body is all about.
To this end, whether directly or through its member nations, the ITF reinvests 90 per cent of its income each year into the game. This helps to grow tennis for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.
Improving the sport for future generations is also key, while the global development of tennis, particularly within underrepresented nations, will always be a priority.
Key to implementing the ITF’s development strategy is the highly regarded Development Officers’ programme, which has a wide-ranging remit but essentially relates to the developmental boots on the ground.
Under the supervision of the ITF and by working closely with National and Regional Associations, Development Officers oversee the delivery of education, participation, performance, events, facilities and resources and admin.
In practical terms, this means establishing the ITF Junior Tennis Initiative in a particular nation, conducting coaches’ courses, helping to recognise & upgrade facilities and ensuring a promising player has the necessary support to pursue their career – and much more besides.
Starting this month, Evan Heyliger of Bermuda will assume the role of ITF Development Officer for the Caribbean, taking over from John Goede who had been in position since 2015.
Heyliger, who is fluent in English and Spanish, is a level two ITF-certified coach with extensive experience within this field, while he is also a certified personal trainer, strength and conditioning coach and nutritionist.
Since 2014, Heyliger has worked as a tennis coach with the Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association while more recently he has been a national junior tennis coach with the federation, working with his nations most talented youngsters.
“It is a real privilege to be appointed as the ITF Development Officer for the Caribbean and I am looking forward to getting started and making a difference across the region,” said Heyliger, who is a Bachelor of International Business.
“I bring energy, positivity and dedication to every opportunity and I intend to bring this to the table as I contribute to the ongoing development of tennis across the Caribbean.
“My whole career has centred around developing athletes and helping them to become smarter, healthier, happier and more skilful. I want to bring these qualities to the role of ITF Development Officer and make a difference on a wider scale.”
Luca Santilli, the ITF’s Executive Director of Tennis Development, added: “We are incredibly excited to work with Evan as tennis across the Caribbean continues to grow and develop.
“Evan is a very talented individual who knows the region well. We cannot wait to see him build upon the excellent work done by John Goede and take tennis development across the Caribbean to new heights.”
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Davis Cup: Spotlight on Wayne Montgomery
IslandStats.com
Bermuda’s upcoming World Group II play-off against Georgia has received a significant injection of professional experience following the inclusion of former world-ranked junior Wayne Montgomery in the national squad.
The 30-year-old South African, who has resided on the island for five years, is set to make his debut for the red and blue when the team travels to Cyprus for the historic tie on February 6th and 7th.
Montgomery brings a level of technical pedigree rarely seen in the local game, having once occupied the number seven spot in the ITF world junior rankings. His career highlights include reaching the quarter-finals of both the US Open and Australian Open as a junior, as well as a doubles semi-final appearance at Wimbledon.
For National Tennis Director and team captain Ricky Mallory Jr., Montgomery represents a "veteran addition" capable of anchoring a team that already boasts the youthful energy of Daniel Phillips, Trey Mallory, and fellow newcomer Zachary McGuire. Montgomery’s transition to the national team follows years of dominance on the local circuit, where he has consistently bested the island’s top talent in premier events like the Deloitte Open.
Before moving to Bermuda, Montgomery established himself as one of the most successful players in the history of the University of Georgia’s tennis program. A First-Team All-SEC selection, he famously became the first outright repeat winner of the Southern Intercollegiate Championships since American legend John Isner. This high-pressure experience in the NCAA’s elite tier will be vital as Bermuda looks to navigate the step up to World Group II for the first time in their history.
Montgomery’s selection has been described as a "tremendous honour," with the player expressing his gratitude to the Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association for the opportunity to showcase his skills on the global stage. While primarily known as a singles specialist during his time on the ATP and ITF tours, he has proven equally adept in doubles, providing Captain Mallory with significant tactical flexibility for the five-match series in Larnaca.
The decision to include Montgomery over established squad members like Tariq Simons has signaled a shift toward a "high-performance" focus for this specific tie. Despite the competitive nature of the selection process, the squad has maintained a united front, with Simons publicly backing Montgomery and the "fair" trial process that saw him earn his spot.
The tie, originally slated for Georgia but moved to Cyprus due to facility issues in the host nation, will be played on the hard courts of the Herodotou Tennis Academy. With Montgomery’s professional consistency now integrated into the lineup, Bermuda heads into the Mediterranean encounter with their strongest technical foundation in years.
