Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
No. 66 Northwestern
No. 31 MSU Men’s Tennis Tops No. 66 Northwestern Friday to Open Weekend B1G Play at Home
4/4/2025 9:56:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Spartans improve to 7-2 in conference play with a commanding win at the MSU Indoor Tennis Center.
EAST LANSING, Mich. – No. 31 Michigan State men's tennis defeated No. 66 Northwestern, 6-1, Friday evening in the Spartans' first Big Ten Conference action of the weekend at the MSU Indoor Tennis Center.
With Friday's victory, the Green and White improved to 12-6 on the season, moving to 7-2 in conference play. Northwestern falls to 11-12, 3-5 in conference play.
Keeping the same doubles pairings from last week with minimal changes, junior Ozan Baris/freshman Matthew Forbes took the first doubles spot, redshirt-sophomore Aristotelis Thanos/freshman Vuk Radjenovic slid into the second spot, while new pairing of senior Max Sheldon/freshman Danial Rakhmatullayev rounded out the pairings for the Spartans.
Baris and Forbes struck first in doubles play, earning a 6-3 victory over Northwestern's Felix Nordby and Chad Miller.
Ma. Sheldon and Rakhmatullayev then clinched the doubles point for the Spartans with a commanding 6-2 win against Max Bengtsson/Vincent Yang.
With the point secured, the final doubles match featuring Thanos/Radjenovic against Greyson Casey/Sai Goli was left unfinished.
The small but mighty crowd rallied around the Spartans to carry the momentum into their singles matches.
Baris notched his second win of the day with a straight-sets victory over Nordby, 7-5, 6-3.
Moments later, Ma. Sheldon extended the Spartans' lead by taking down Casey, 6-4, 6-3.
Thanos sealed the victory for Michigan State with a commanding 6-2, 6-4 win over Goli.
With the match decided, the remaining courts played out. Rakhmatullayev added to the Spartans' tally with a strong 7-5, 6-2 win over Vincent Yang.
Radjenovic capped off the scoring run for MSU, edging Bengtsson in a hard-fought battle, 7-5, 4-6, 10-8.
Northwestern picked up its lone point of the day as Miller outlasted Spartan junior David Saye in a tight match, 5-7, 6-2, 10-8.
Up Next:
The Spartans return to action on Sunday, April 6, at 12 p.m. when they host No. 24 Illinois at the MSU Indoor Tennis Center to continue Big Ten play.
All MSU men's tennis home matches are played at the MSU Indoor Tennis Center.
Results
#31 Michigan State 6 (11-7, 6-2 B1G), #66 Northwestern 1 (11-11, 3-4 B1G)
Northwestern vs Michigan State
April 4, 2025 at East Lansing, Mich.
MSU Indoor Tennis Center
Doubles:
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Ozan Baris/Matthew Forbes (MSU) def. Felix Nordby/Chad Miller (NU) 6-3
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Vuk Radjenovic/Aristotelis Thanos (MSU) vs Greyson Casey/Sai Goli (NU) 3-3 unf.
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Danial Rakhmatullayev/Max Sheldon (MSU) def. Max Bengtsson/Vincent Yang (NU) 6-2
Singles:
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No. 28 Aristotelis Thanos (MSU) def. Sai Goli (NU) 6-2, 6-4
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No. 10 Ozan Baris (MSU) def. Felix Nordby (NU) 7-5, 6-3
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No. 93 Max Sheldon (MSU) def. Greyson Casey (NU) 6-4, 6-3
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Vuk Radjenovic (MSU) def. Max Bengtsson (NU) 7-5, 4-6, 10-8
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Chad Miller (NU) def. David Saye (MSU) 5-7, 6-2, 10-8
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Danial Rakhmatullayev (MSU) def. Vincent Yang (NU) 7-5, 6-2
Order of finish: Doubles: (3, 1) Singles: (2, 3, 1, 6, 4, 5)
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,1
#1 Singles Match
#2 Singles Match
#3 Singles Match
#4 Singles Match
#5 Singles Match
#6 Singles Match
Order of Finish:
2,3,1,6,4,5
Players Mentioned
