The University of Washington men’s and women’s tennis teams will take on opponents including cross-state rivals Gonzaga and Washington State over the next few weeks as they balance home and away matches with final exams.

The men play Gonzaga at home today at 2 p.m. in a match that gives them a chance to redeem themselves after two consecutive losses to the University of Minnesota and the University of Notre Dame. The UW (9-3) is 19th in the International Tennis Association’s latest rankings, while Gonzaga (5-6) is unranked.

In addition to the free pizza and soda provided at all home matches, fans of Husky tennis get the chance to see players such as Patrik Fischer, who, playing with both his left and his right hand, is a rarity in the tennis world.

“I started playing with my dad with two hands on the forehand and the backhand side,” Fischer said. “When I started taking lessons, they asked me whether I was left or right-handed, and I had no idea.”

As Fischer continued playing, his game evolved to the point where he was serving left-handed, then switching the racket to his right hand to hit groundstrokes and volleys.

“I couldn’t really serve with my right hand, so this is the way it turned out,” Fischer said.

After the match against Gonzaga, the UW men hit the road again during spring break, traveling to Hawaii to play the University of Nevada on March 19 and the University of Hawaii on March 20. Neither team is currently ranked.

The women’s team has some time off before their next match against Washington State, in Pullman, on March 19. The women will be especially hungry for a win there, coming off losses to UCLA and USC at home last weekend and a rocky 1-9 start to the season. Despite struggles with illness and injury that have weakened the UW’s lineup this season, spirits remain strong.

“The girls are happier than they were at this point last season,” coach Jill Hultquist said. “They can see it’s going to be a different team when we get everybody back on the court.”

The women will also play four more matches during spring break, two at home and two away. They take on San Diego and San Diego State in San Diego on March 20 and 21, then come back to Seattle for matches against Boise State and Gonzaga on March 23 and March 25.

Reach reporter Risa Pavia at sports@thedaily.washington.edu.