Michigan State University Athletics
Friday, May 1
Columbia, S.C.
11 AM
Michigan State University
4
vs
1
North Carolina
Photo by: Leroy Mundy
Michigan State Men’s Tennis Moves On To NCAA Tournament Second Round With Friday’s First-Round Win Over UNC
5/1/2026 11:40:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Spartans take down Tar Heels, 4-1, to face host and No. 13-seed South Carolina in Saturday’s Second Round.
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Michigan State men's tennis bounced back from dropping the doubles point against North Carolina in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, to win four singles matches on the way to 4-1 Victory for MSU, Friday afternoon in Columbia, South Carolina, hosted by No. 13-seed South Carolina at the Carolina Tennis Center.
The match started at 11 a.m. ET, but shortly after getting underway, inclement weather rolled in and the match was under a weather delay until resuming at 2:15 p.m. When play resumed, UNC won the doubles point to take a 1-0 lead. However, as they have done in several of their recent wins on the way to the Big Ten Conference regular-season and tournament titles, the Spartans steamrolled back in singles action, quickly winning four singles matches to clinch the 4-1 win, with sophomore Danial Rakhmatullayev clinching the victory at No. 4 singles.
Michigan State, who is nationally ranked at No. 16 in the ITA National Rankings, improves to 19-8 and advances to face host and No. 13-seed South Carolina on Saturday, now at 4 p.m. ET in the second round.
North Carolina, which was at No. 41 in this week's ITA rankings for the Tar Heels' highest rank of the season, finishes at 15-12.
South Carolina blanked Richmond, 4-0, Friday evening. The Gamecocks' ranked No. 13 in the ITA rankings to match their NCAA Tournament seed.
Saturday's second-round match-up between the Spartans and Gamecocks is a rematch from Jan. 23 in the ITA Kickoff Weekend, when the then-14th-ranked South Carolina beat then-24th-ranked Michigan State, 4-2.
The Spartans earned their rematch with the Gamecocks by rallying from an early 1-0 deficit on Friday after the Tar Heels won the doubles point.
MSU's No. 2 duo of sophomore Mitchell Sheldon and junior Taym Al-Azmeh were downed by UNC's Niels Ratiu and Chris Xu, 6-3. The Spartan No. 3 tandem of Rakhmatullayev and senior Aristotelis Thanos were also defeated by the Tar Heel foes, Ian Mayew and Logan Zapp, by an identical, 6-3, score. The Green & White's No. 1 pair of senior Ozan Baris and sophomore Matthew Forbes were ahead against UNC's Roan Jones/Anthony Wright at 5-4, but was unfinished with the Tar Heels' winning the doubles point.
The Spartans steamrolled through singles, with Thanos making quick work of UNC's Xu at No. 1 singles in a brisk and efficient 6-2, 6-1 match. Baris had a tight first set against Mayew of UNC at 7-5, before making quick work in the second set with a 6-1 win. Forbes took on the Tar Heel's Jones at No. 2 singles, and won, 6-3, 6-4.
Rakhmatullayev took on Ratiu of UNC, and the Spartan clipped the Tar Heel, 7-5, in the first set, then won, 6-2 in the second set to clinch the game, set and match for the Green & White, sealing the Victory For MSU.
Al-Azmeh and UNC's Constantinos Djakouris went unfinished at No. 5 singles, 4-6, 2-1, while Sheldon and Wright went unfinished at 4-6, 4-6 on the No. 6 court.
Fans can follow Saturday's Spartans and Gamecocks action from Columbia with "Watch Live" and "Live Results" links at MSUSpartans.com, and can keep up to date with the Spartan men's tennis team on Facebook, Instagram and X/Twitter by following @MSU_MTennis.
Michigan State vs. North Carolina
Columbia, S.C. (Carolina Tennis Center)
May 1, 2026
MSU 4, UNC 1
Doubles:
1. Ozan Baris/Matthew Forbes (MSU) vs Roan Jones/Anthony Wright, 4-5, UF
2. Niels Ratiu/Chris Xu (UNC) def. Mitchell Sheldon/Taym Al-Azmeh (MSU) 6-3
3. Ian Mayew/Logan Zapp (UNC) def. Danial Rakhmatullayev/Aristotelis Thanos (MSU) 6-3
Order of Finish: 2, 3
Singles:
1. Aristotelis Thanos (MSU) def. Chris Xu (UNC) 6-2, 6-1
2. Matthew Forbes (MSU) def. Roan Jones (UNC) 6-3, 6-4
3. Ozan Baris (MSU) def. Ian Mayew (UNC) 7-5, 6-1
4. Danial Rakhmatullayev (MSU) def. Niels Ratiu (UNC) 7-5, 6-2
5. Taym Al-Azmeh (MSU) vs Constantinos Djakouris (UNC) 4-6, 2-1, unfinished
6. Mitchell Sheldon (MSU) vs Anthony Wright (UNC) 4-6, 4-5, unfinished
Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2, 4
The match started at 11 a.m. ET, but shortly after getting underway, inclement weather rolled in and the match was under a weather delay until resuming at 2:15 p.m. When play resumed, UNC won the doubles point to take a 1-0 lead. However, as they have done in several of their recent wins on the way to the Big Ten Conference regular-season and tournament titles, the Spartans steamrolled back in singles action, quickly winning four singles matches to clinch the 4-1 win, with sophomore Danial Rakhmatullayev clinching the victory at No. 4 singles.
Michigan State, who is nationally ranked at No. 16 in the ITA National Rankings, improves to 19-8 and advances to face host and No. 13-seed South Carolina on Saturday, now at 4 p.m. ET in the second round.
North Carolina, which was at No. 41 in this week's ITA rankings for the Tar Heels' highest rank of the season, finishes at 15-12.
South Carolina blanked Richmond, 4-0, Friday evening. The Gamecocks' ranked No. 13 in the ITA rankings to match their NCAA Tournament seed.
Saturday's second-round match-up between the Spartans and Gamecocks is a rematch from Jan. 23 in the ITA Kickoff Weekend, when the then-14th-ranked South Carolina beat then-24th-ranked Michigan State, 4-2.
The Spartans earned their rematch with the Gamecocks by rallying from an early 1-0 deficit on Friday after the Tar Heels won the doubles point.
MSU's No. 2 duo of sophomore Mitchell Sheldon and junior Taym Al-Azmeh were downed by UNC's Niels Ratiu and Chris Xu, 6-3. The Spartan No. 3 tandem of Rakhmatullayev and senior Aristotelis Thanos were also defeated by the Tar Heel foes, Ian Mayew and Logan Zapp, by an identical, 6-3, score. The Green & White's No. 1 pair of senior Ozan Baris and sophomore Matthew Forbes were ahead against UNC's Roan Jones/Anthony Wright at 5-4, but was unfinished with the Tar Heels' winning the doubles point.
The Spartans steamrolled through singles, with Thanos making quick work of UNC's Xu at No. 1 singles in a brisk and efficient 6-2, 6-1 match. Baris had a tight first set against Mayew of UNC at 7-5, before making quick work in the second set with a 6-1 win. Forbes took on the Tar Heel's Jones at No. 2 singles, and won, 6-3, 6-4.
Rakhmatullayev took on Ratiu of UNC, and the Spartan clipped the Tar Heel, 7-5, in the first set, then won, 6-2 in the second set to clinch the game, set and match for the Green & White, sealing the Victory For MSU.
Al-Azmeh and UNC's Constantinos Djakouris went unfinished at No. 5 singles, 4-6, 2-1, while Sheldon and Wright went unfinished at 4-6, 4-6 on the No. 6 court.
Fans can follow Saturday's Spartans and Gamecocks action from Columbia with "Watch Live" and "Live Results" links at MSUSpartans.com, and can keep up to date with the Spartan men's tennis team on Facebook, Instagram and X/Twitter by following @MSU_MTennis.
Michigan State vs. North Carolina
Columbia, S.C. (Carolina Tennis Center)
May 1, 2026
MSU 4, UNC 1
Doubles:
1. Ozan Baris/Matthew Forbes (MSU) vs Roan Jones/Anthony Wright, 4-5, UF
2. Niels Ratiu/Chris Xu (UNC) def. Mitchell Sheldon/Taym Al-Azmeh (MSU) 6-3
3. Ian Mayew/Logan Zapp (UNC) def. Danial Rakhmatullayev/Aristotelis Thanos (MSU) 6-3
Order of Finish: 2, 3
Singles:
1. Aristotelis Thanos (MSU) def. Chris Xu (UNC) 6-2, 6-1
2. Matthew Forbes (MSU) def. Roan Jones (UNC) 6-3, 6-4
3. Ozan Baris (MSU) def. Ian Mayew (UNC) 7-5, 6-1
4. Danial Rakhmatullayev (MSU) def. Niels Ratiu (UNC) 7-5, 6-2
5. Taym Al-Azmeh (MSU) vs Constantinos Djakouris (UNC) 4-6, 2-1, unfinished
6. Mitchell Sheldon (MSU) vs Anthony Wright (UNC) 4-6, 4-5, unfinished
Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2, 4
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
2,3
#1 Singles Match
12
Chris Xu / 0 [UNC]
21
66
#2 Singles Match
12
Roan Jones / 0 [UNC]
34
66
#3 Singles Match
12
Ian Mayew / 0 [UNC]
51
76
#4 Singles Match
12
Niels Ratiu / 0 [UNC]
52
76
#5 Singles Match
123
C. Djakouris / 0 [UNC]
610
42UF
#6 Singles Match
123
Anthony Wright / 0 [UNC]
650
44UF
Order of Finish:
1,3,2,4
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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