Friday, May 2
A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre | Starkville, Miss.
11 AM ET/10 AM CT
Michigan State University
4
vs
0
North Alabama
Men’s Tennis Sweeps North Alabama in NCAA Tournament First Round As Sheldon Sets All-Time Wins Record
5/2/2025 2:03:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Spartans post second-straight sweep in Regional opening action; Senior Max Sheldon posts 169th all-time combined wins leader.
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- No. 22 Michigan State men's tennis advanced to its second-straight NCAA Round of 32 with a 4-0 sweep of 68th-ranked North Alabama in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday at Mississippi State's A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre in Starkville.
The Spartans move to 17-9 overall with the victory, while the Lions end their 2024-25 campaign at 19-4.
MSU will take on the winner of Mississippi State Regional host and No. 12 overall seed, Mississippi State, and New Orleans on Saturday, May 3 at 2 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. CT for a spot in the NCAA Super Regionals.
This marks Michigan State's second-straight NCAA Tournament first-round win after sweeping Denver, last season for MSU's first-ever NCAA Tournament win, before falling to No. 12 Harvard, 4-0, in the second round. Michigan State is making it third all-time NCAA Tournament appearances, as the Spartans' first appearance came in 2013, when current head coach Harry Jadun was a sophomore student-athlete. That year, MSU fell to Tulsa in the first round, finishing the season with a 14-14 record.
With wins at No. 3 doubles and singles on Friday, senior Max Sheldon made history on Friday, tallying his 168th and 169th wins as a Spartan to become MSU's all-time combined wins leader, after tying the record held by Nick Rinks (2005-08).
The Spartans quickly took a 1-0 lead over the Lions with a dominant display in doubles action. Alongside his brother Mitchell Sheldon, Max Sheldon secured his historic 168th win with a 6-0 victory over UNA's Lachlan Brain and Satoru Nakajima on court three.
Shortly after, freshman Danial Rakhamatullayev and redshirt sophomore Aristotelis Thanos wrapped up a 6-1 win at No. 2 doubles over UNA's Samu Dominguez and Nazar Fedoryshyn to clinch the doubles point for MSU.
In singles play, Max Sheldon made it 2-0 MSU in a straight-set, 6-1, 6-2, victory over the Lions' Izan Orgiles. Rakhamatullayev notched his second win of the day with a 6-2, 6-1, win over Nazar Fedoryshyn at No. 6 singles before Mitchell Sheldon defeated Samu Dominguez, 6-4, 6-4, to secure the victory for MSU at No. 5 doubles.
If it is an all-MSU match-up between Michigan State and Mississippi State, the respective head coaches are very familiar with each other, as Bulldogs' head coach Matt Roberts was an assistant at Michigan State from 2009-12 under legendary Spartan head coach Gene Orlando during Coach Jadun's freshman season in East Lansing in 2012.
Fans can follow the tournament action live from Starkville with "Watch Live" and "Live Results" links available at MSUSpartans.com. For behind-the-scenes content and updates throughout the weekend, follow the Spartans on social media at @MSU_MTennis on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Tennis Match Results
North Alabama vs Michigan State
5/2/2025 at Starkville, Miss.
(A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre)
#22 Michigan State 4, #68 North Alabama 0
Singles competition
1. #40 Aristotelis Thanos (MSU) vs. Lachlan Brain (UNA) 6-2, 2-2, unfinished
2. #15 Ozan Baris (MSU) vs. Alberto Altur (UNA) 2-6, 5-2, unfinished
3. #109 Max Sheldon (MSU) def. Izan Orgiles (UNA) 6-1, 6-2
4. Vuk Radjenovic (MSU) vs. Satoru Nakajima (UNA) 6-4, 4-4, unfinished
5. Mitchell Sheldon (MSU) def. Samu Dominguez (UNA) 6-4, 6-4
6. D. Rakhmatullayev (MSU) def. Nazar Fedoryshyn (UNA) 6-2, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Ozan Baris/Matthew Forbes (MSU) vs. Alberto Altur/Izan Orgiles (UNA) 5-3, unfinished
2. D. Rakhmatullayev/Aristotelis Thanos (MSU) def. Samu Dominguez/Nazar Fedoryshyn (UNA) 6-1
3. Max Sheldon/Mitchell Sheldon (MSU) def. Lachlan Brain/Satoru Nakajima (UNA) 6-0
Match Notes:
North Alabama 19-4; National ranking #68
Michigan State 17-9; National ranking #22
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (3,6,5)
Michigan State is the No.2 Seed and North Alabama is the No. 3 Seed
NCAA Championship First Round Matchup
Official: Wes Mayfield
The Spartans move to 17-9 overall with the victory, while the Lions end their 2024-25 campaign at 19-4.
MSU will take on the winner of Mississippi State Regional host and No. 12 overall seed, Mississippi State, and New Orleans on Saturday, May 3 at 2 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. CT for a spot in the NCAA Super Regionals.
This marks Michigan State's second-straight NCAA Tournament first-round win after sweeping Denver, last season for MSU's first-ever NCAA Tournament win, before falling to No. 12 Harvard, 4-0, in the second round. Michigan State is making it third all-time NCAA Tournament appearances, as the Spartans' first appearance came in 2013, when current head coach Harry Jadun was a sophomore student-athlete. That year, MSU fell to Tulsa in the first round, finishing the season with a 14-14 record.
With wins at No. 3 doubles and singles on Friday, senior Max Sheldon made history on Friday, tallying his 168th and 169th wins as a Spartan to become MSU's all-time combined wins leader, after tying the record held by Nick Rinks (2005-08).
👑 ALL-TIME WINNINGEST SPARTAN.
— Michigan State Men's Tennis (@MSU_MTennis) May 2, 2025
169 WINS & COUNTING 🔥
Max Sheldon has etched his name in MSU Men's Tennis history!
Legacy secured. Records broken. And he's not finished yet.💪🎾#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/agzkWIH8O2
The Spartans quickly took a 1-0 lead over the Lions with a dominant display in doubles action. Alongside his brother Mitchell Sheldon, Max Sheldon secured his historic 168th win with a 6-0 victory over UNA's Lachlan Brain and Satoru Nakajima on court three.
Shortly after, freshman Danial Rakhamatullayev and redshirt sophomore Aristotelis Thanos wrapped up a 6-1 win at No. 2 doubles over UNA's Samu Dominguez and Nazar Fedoryshyn to clinch the doubles point for MSU.
In singles play, Max Sheldon made it 2-0 MSU in a straight-set, 6-1, 6-2, victory over the Lions' Izan Orgiles. Rakhamatullayev notched his second win of the day with a 6-2, 6-1, win over Nazar Fedoryshyn at No. 6 singles before Mitchell Sheldon defeated Samu Dominguez, 6-4, 6-4, to secure the victory for MSU at No. 5 doubles.
If it is an all-MSU match-up between Michigan State and Mississippi State, the respective head coaches are very familiar with each other, as Bulldogs' head coach Matt Roberts was an assistant at Michigan State from 2009-12 under legendary Spartan head coach Gene Orlando during Coach Jadun's freshman season in East Lansing in 2012.
Fans can follow the tournament action live from Starkville with "Watch Live" and "Live Results" links available at MSUSpartans.com. For behind-the-scenes content and updates throughout the weekend, follow the Spartans on social media at @MSU_MTennis on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Tennis Match Results
North Alabama vs Michigan State
5/2/2025 at Starkville, Miss.
(A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre)
#22 Michigan State 4, #68 North Alabama 0
Singles competition
1. #40 Aristotelis Thanos (MSU) vs. Lachlan Brain (UNA) 6-2, 2-2, unfinished
2. #15 Ozan Baris (MSU) vs. Alberto Altur (UNA) 2-6, 5-2, unfinished
3. #109 Max Sheldon (MSU) def. Izan Orgiles (UNA) 6-1, 6-2
4. Vuk Radjenovic (MSU) vs. Satoru Nakajima (UNA) 6-4, 4-4, unfinished
5. Mitchell Sheldon (MSU) def. Samu Dominguez (UNA) 6-4, 6-4
6. D. Rakhmatullayev (MSU) def. Nazar Fedoryshyn (UNA) 6-2, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Ozan Baris/Matthew Forbes (MSU) vs. Alberto Altur/Izan Orgiles (UNA) 5-3, unfinished
2. D. Rakhmatullayev/Aristotelis Thanos (MSU) def. Samu Dominguez/Nazar Fedoryshyn (UNA) 6-1
3. Max Sheldon/Mitchell Sheldon (MSU) def. Lachlan Brain/Satoru Nakajima (UNA) 6-0
Match Notes:
North Alabama 19-4; National ranking #68
Michigan State 17-9; National ranking #22
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (3,6,5)
Michigan State is the No.2 Seed and North Alabama is the No. 3 Seed
NCAA Championship First Round Matchup
Official: Wes Mayfield
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Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,2
#1 Singles Match
123
Lachlan Brain / 0 [UNA]
220
62UF
#2 Singles Match
123
Alberto Altur / 0 [UNA]
620
25UF
#3 Singles Match
12
Izan Orgiles / 0 [UNA]
12
66
#4 Singles Match
123
Satoru Nakajima / 0 [UNA]
440
64UF
#5 Singles Match
12
Samu Dominguez / 0 [UNA]
44
66
#6 Singles Match
12
Nazar Fedoryshyn / 0 [UNA]
21
66
Order of Finish:
3,6,5
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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