It doesn't seem to be the right time of year for tennis, with thoughts of spring nowhere near and weather nearing the triple digits.

But for the Arizona tennis teams, the fall season is an important time to iron out the kinks.

The men's tennis team competes this weekend in the Denver Fall Championships in Denver, one of the seven tournaments that the Arizona men will compete in this semester.

Last weekend, the Arizona men took four players to the Crimson Tide Invitational in Tuscaloosa, Ala., with mixed success.

Senior Daniel Andrus and sophomore Bruno Alcala both lost their first-round matches in the track A singles bracket. Andrus rebounded to win two consolation-round matches, but fell in the semifinals to William and Mary's Sam Chang.

In the B bracket, sophomore Claudio Christen won his first match against Mississippi State's Ryan Furlow and finished the tournament 2-1.

Freshman Peter Zimmer was 2-2 in C bracket singles play but lost both doubles matches while paired with Andrus.

"The fall matches are a great chance to gain experience," said Arizona head coach Tad Berkowitz.

He said that the team had suffered some summer injuries and that the fall tournaments are a good way to get some matches in.

"It's different for each guy, though," he said. "Some don't need to play a lot of matches, some do."

Berkowitz said some of his athletes need to keep up with conditioning and work in the weight room to prep themselves for the spring season.

Wildcat women open fall schedule in Philadelphia

The Arizona women's tennis team will make its fall debut this weekend with the Cissie Leary Invitational in Philadelphia.

Arizona head coach Vicky Maes said that the fall season is a good opportunity to play some matches, and that the nine scheduled tournaments this semester will be great preparation for the spring season.

"We just got out there and play some matches," she said. "It's a good time for our new players to see what college competition looks like."

The women's team introduces two freshmen to the team; Danielle Steinberg of Tel Aviv, Israel, and Tina Razloznik of Idrija, Slovenia.