Spartan Men’s Tennis Players Earn National Recognition in ITA Rankings
11/26/2025 2:08:00 PM | Men's Tennis
MSU continues rewriting the record book with top-tier national recognition as every Spartan on roster is ranked.
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State men's tennis continues to climb the ladder as every Spartan player on the roster earned a spot in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division I Collegiate Tennis National Singles and Doubles Rankings, announced this week following the conclusion of last week's NCAA Individual Championships.
The Spartans placed two players in the top 15, as part of four players inside the top 103 nationally in singles, while two doubles teams also landed in the top 80, as all eight players on the roster were ranked, as MSU is the lone team in the country to have every player on its roster ranked. The across-the-board presence marks one of the most complete ranking showings in recent program history.
Sophomore Matthew Forbes is ranked No. 3, while senior Ozan Barris is No. 14. Sophomore Vuk Radjenovic is No. 90, while senior David Saye comes in at No. 103.
Forbes' No. 3 ranking is the second Spartan to have a top-five ranking, as Baris was No. 1 in last season's rankings.
Along with the new singles rankings, the Spartans earned two doubles pairings in the rankings, as sophomore Danial Rakhmatullayev and junior Taym Alazmeh are No. 14, while sophomore Mitchell Sheldon and Saye are No. 76.
Forbes was ranked No. 66 in fall preseason rankings, but skyrocketed to No. 3 nationally after a standout fall season. Forbes advanced to the round of 16 at last week's NCAA Individual Championships, notching multiple ranked wins and earning All-American honors for the first time in his career, before his first NCAA Tournament appearance ended. Forbes' ranking positions him to be a top singles opponent heading into spring competition.
Baris began the fall season ranked at No. 7, and now sits at No. 14 nationally. Baris has a well-decorated track record of many ranked wins and postseason success. Baris will enter his final spring season alongside Forbes for his final spring season.
At last week's NCAA Individual Championships, Baris closed out competition after advancing to the quarterfinals for the third-straight year. In a high-level battle against Michael Zheng from Columbia, the Spartan's NCAA Tournament came to a close in the Elite Eight, as Baris fell to Zheng for the second-straight year, after losing to him in the 2024 NCAA Individual Championships finals.
Baris had a strong performance throughout the tournament, earning three straight-set victories in a row to advance him all the way to the Elite Eight. Baris took on many top ranked opponents and came out victorious, earned All-American honors for the fourth time in his career, and made it to the quarterfinals for the third year in a row. His appearance marks another milestone for one of the most accomplished players in program history.
Radjenovic checks in at No. 90, marking his first appearance inside the top 100 after a strong fall campaign.
Saye followed closely behind, checking in at No. 103. Radjenovic and Saye finalized a benchmark for the Spartans, giving them four players inside the top 103. Only a few programs in the country can match the Green & White.
Along with the new singles rankings, the Spartans earned two doubles pairings in the rankings. Alazmeh and Rakhmatullayev landed at No. 14, continuing their journey to becoming one of the best doubles teams in the Big Ten. Sheldon and Saye check in at No. 76, adding another nationally recognized duo for the Spartans.
The Michigan State men's tennis team will enter the spring season with momentum and a national presence that will make them a top team all around when the spring season commences in January. The Spartans' full spring schedule will be announced at a later date.
The Spartans placed two players in the top 15, as part of four players inside the top 103 nationally in singles, while two doubles teams also landed in the top 80, as all eight players on the roster were ranked, as MSU is the lone team in the country to have every player on its roster ranked. The across-the-board presence marks one of the most complete ranking showings in recent program history.
Sophomore Matthew Forbes is ranked No. 3, while senior Ozan Barris is No. 14. Sophomore Vuk Radjenovic is No. 90, while senior David Saye comes in at No. 103.
Forbes' No. 3 ranking is the second Spartan to have a top-five ranking, as Baris was No. 1 in last season's rankings.
Along with the new singles rankings, the Spartans earned two doubles pairings in the rankings, as sophomore Danial Rakhmatullayev and junior Taym Alazmeh are No. 14, while sophomore Mitchell Sheldon and Saye are No. 76.
Forbes was ranked No. 66 in fall preseason rankings, but skyrocketed to No. 3 nationally after a standout fall season. Forbes advanced to the round of 16 at last week's NCAA Individual Championships, notching multiple ranked wins and earning All-American honors for the first time in his career, before his first NCAA Tournament appearance ended. Forbes' ranking positions him to be a top singles opponent heading into spring competition.
Baris began the fall season ranked at No. 7, and now sits at No. 14 nationally. Baris has a well-decorated track record of many ranked wins and postseason success. Baris will enter his final spring season alongside Forbes for his final spring season.
At last week's NCAA Individual Championships, Baris closed out competition after advancing to the quarterfinals for the third-straight year. In a high-level battle against Michael Zheng from Columbia, the Spartan's NCAA Tournament came to a close in the Elite Eight, as Baris fell to Zheng for the second-straight year, after losing to him in the 2024 NCAA Individual Championships finals.
Baris had a strong performance throughout the tournament, earning three straight-set victories in a row to advance him all the way to the Elite Eight. Baris took on many top ranked opponents and came out victorious, earned All-American honors for the fourth time in his career, and made it to the quarterfinals for the third year in a row. His appearance marks another milestone for one of the most accomplished players in program history.
Radjenovic checks in at No. 90, marking his first appearance inside the top 100 after a strong fall campaign.
Saye followed closely behind, checking in at No. 103. Radjenovic and Saye finalized a benchmark for the Spartans, giving them four players inside the top 103. Only a few programs in the country can match the Green & White.
Along with the new singles rankings, the Spartans earned two doubles pairings in the rankings. Alazmeh and Rakhmatullayev landed at No. 14, continuing their journey to becoming one of the best doubles teams in the Big Ten. Sheldon and Saye check in at No. 76, adding another nationally recognized duo for the Spartans.
The Michigan State men's tennis team will enter the spring season with momentum and a national presence that will make them a top team all around when the spring season commences in January. The Spartans' full spring schedule will be announced at a later date.
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