The first time the KU tennis players practiced outdoors this season was only two days ago.

They seemed relaxed on the court as they prepared to face two ranked teams, No. 61 BYU and No. 32 Tulsa, this weekend, the last before they begin Big 12 Conference play.

“Both of these schools are regional opponents, and they both have pretty decent rankings. It’d be great wins for us this weekend to help get our momentum going into Big 12,” coach Amy Hall-Holt said during Wednesday’s practice.

Kansas will contest BYU today at 1 p.m. and Tulsa at the same time tomorrow. Both matches will take place at First Serve Tennis Center, 5200 Clinton Parkway.

Wednesday’s weather was cool and breezy, which allowed the players to get a head start on the competition.

“Today is the first day of practice outside. So this has been good. It’s good to be outside, get some fresh air and some sun, so hopefully that will be at our advantage, with the schools that we’re playing,” Hall-Holt said.

Chilly weather can cause a tennis ball to be less bouncy because of a drop in air pressure inside the ball. Windy conditions can add to the unpredictability of the ball when the player makes contact with it; as a result, it is harder to hit the ball with force and accuracy.

If the Jayhawks feel they have properly adjusted to the conditions outside, they may have a slight advantage.

“I don’t think BYU has been outside. If it’s 50 degrees or above or under 25 mph winds, we’ll be out here,” Hall-Holt said in reference to today’s event.

Tomorrow’s match against Tulsa may be indoors because there is a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service.

The Jayhawks aren’t solely relying on the weather to help them overcome this weekend’s competition.

Last weekend Kansas rolled over UMKC 7-0 in dual match play. Not that the squad needed a change — KU had never lost to UMKC — but before the match Hall-Holt decided it would be a good idea to switch up the doubles teams a bit, creating new combinations of Yuliana Svistun/Kuni Dorn and Edina Horvath/Kate Morozova. Both pairs are 1-0.

After the match Hall-Holt commented on the switch.

“Change is good right now. You can get too comfortable. We haven’t been producing that much in doubles and this is a good thing for the girls to change up and keep working hard with whom they’re playing with. They don’t mind it; we’ve got to find a mix that works,” she said.

Winning the doubles point in dual match tennis is critical because it gives momentum to one team heading into the singles round. The outcome of the doubles round often reflects the outcome of the entire match. Since the opening of the 2008 spring season the Jayhawks are 11-3 when they win the doubles point and are 4-12 when they lose it.

Will she keep the same doubles combinations for the rest of the season?

Reluctant to answer, Hall-Holt said, “Um, it’s a good possibility, but I’m never going to say never.”

— — Edited by Chris Hickerson