Michigan State University
No. 25 Michigan
Spartans Return Home for Senior Day Showdown Against No. 25 Michigan
4/18/2025 1:30:00 PM | Men's Tennis
MSU men’s tennis hosts in-state rival Wolverines in regular-season finale, honoring seniors in pivotal Big Ten matchup.
EAST LANSING, Mich. – No. 27 Michigan State men's tennis team returns to its home court for one final match this season, hosting in-state rival No. 25 Michigan on Saturday, April 19, at Noon at the MSU Indoor Tennis Center.
Fans are encouraged to arrive early to avoid parking conflicts or check @MSU_MTennis on X/Twitter for parking updates.
Saturday is MSU's special Senior Day Celebration, presented by HAP, as the Spartans will honor their two senior tennis players, Max Sheldon and Josh Portnoy, for their stellar careers throughout their four years on the tennis team.Â
Ma.Sheldon and Portnoy will be honored during the match between doubles and singles.
Saturday's match marks the 29th all-time meeting between the Spartans and Wolverines, with Michigan currently holding a 28-1 advantage in the series.
Decorated Spartans
The Spartans climbed one spot in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) weekly team rankings, moving from No. 28 to No. 27.
Four Michigan State players are featured in the ITA singles rankings. Junior Ozan Baris leads the group at No. 12, while redshirt-sophomore Aristotelis Thanos cracked the top 50 at No. 38. Freshman Matthew Forbes earned a spot at No. 92, and senior Max Sheldon rounds out the Spartan presence in the rankings at No. 107.
Last Outing
Michigan State men's tennis closed out its final road match of the season with a 4-1 loss to No. 32 UCLA on Sunday, April 13. The Spartans moved to 14-8 overall and 9-3 in Big Ten play, splitting their Los Angeles weekend after a win at USC on Friday. The loss also ended MSU's three-match win streak, while UCLA improved to 11-8 and extended its streak to three.
MSU switched up its doubles lineup, and the new pairings delivered. After a loss at No. 2 doubles, the Spartans bounced back with wins from Ma. Sheldon and freshman Mitchell Sheldon at No. 3, 6-4, and Baris/Forbes at No. 1, 6-2, to clinch the doubles point.
UCLA responded quickly in singles, earning four straight wins to secure the team victory. Baris, Radjenovic, Ma. Sheldon, and Mi. Sheldon all fell in competitive matches, while two matches were left unfinished.
Scouting Michigan
Michigan men's tennis team has had a competitive 2024–25 season so far, currently holding an 8–7 overall record and a 2–1 mark in Big Ten play. They've been strong at home with a 5–1 record, while going 2–4 on the road and 1–2 at neutral sites. Most recently, the Wolverines suffered a loss to Wisconsin on March 16.
The Wolverines climbed five spots to No. 25 in this week's ITA team rankings. Michigan also boasts three players in the ITA singles rankings: Benjamin Kittay at No. 87, Gavin Young at No. 109, and Patorn Hanchaikul at No. 117. In doubles, Young and Kittay represent the Maize and Blue as the nation's No. 5-ranked pair.
Up Next
The Green & White will start postseason Big Ten action as they travel to Columbus, Ohio, for the 2025 Big Ten Championships, set for Friday - Monday, April 25–28, 2025.
Players Mentioned
