Michigan State University Athletics
Sunday, March 22
Champaign, Ill.
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Michigan State University
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at
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No. 10 Illinois
Photo by: Illinois Athletics
Spartan Men’s Tennis Picks Up B1G Road Win Over No. 10 Illinois
3/22/2026 11:09:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Michigan State on a six-match win streak after its second road Top 10 upset in the last seven days.
URBANA-CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – No. 35 Michigan State men's tennis wrapped up their road trip with a massive 4-3 victory over No. 10-ranked Illinois Sunday, for MSU's second Top 10 upset on the road in the last seven days.
The Green & White has had an incredibly impressive start to the spring season, currently on a six-match win streak to conference play, and is 9-7 overall, while snapping the Illini's 11-match win streak and also dealing Illinois its first B1G loss of the season, now 15-4 overall and 5-1 in B1G play. MSU completed its sweep of the Land of Lincoln road trip, knocking off Northwestern on Friday night, 4-1.
Sunday's Spartan win over the 10th-ranked Illini team was Michigan State's second upset on the road over a Top 10 ranked team in the last seven days. Last Sunday, MSU upset No. 1 Ohio State, dealing OSU its first Big Ten home loss since 2003.
Sophomore Danial Rakhmatullayev clinched the Victory for MSU this Sunday with a win at No. 4 singles, after the previous matches had all gone final and leaving the team score at 3-3. Rakhmatullayev rallied against Adam Jilly after dropping the first set 5-7. Rakhmatullayev bounced back to take the second set, 7-5, setting up the decisive tie-breaking set in the tie-breaking match in three sets, and Rakhmatullayev won the third, 6-2, sparking the celebration as Rakhmatullayev was mobbed by his teammates..
Michigan State started strong on Sunday, earning the doubles point and establishing an early lead. First on the board was the dynamic duo of junior Taym Alazmeh and sophomore Danial Rakhmatullayev after they defeated Gabriel Debru and Tyler Bowers 6-2.
Senior Ozan Baris and his sophomore doubles partner Matthew Forbes secured the point for the Spartans after they took down the No. 41-ranked William Mroz and Kenta Miyoshi 7-6 (7-2). Redshirt senior Aristotelis Thanos and his sophomore pairing Mitchell Sheldon took the court opposite David Bakonyi and Zach Viiala, but fell 3-6.
The Spartans had a standout performance in singles, earning three victories to claim the upset win. Up first, No. 50-ranked Thanos faced No. 28-ranked Gabriel Debru from Illinois, defeating him in straight-sets 6-4, 6-1. Following his teammate's lead, Sheldon defeated his Illini opponent Sasha Colleu in a straight-sets, 6-3, 7-5.
Alazmeh put up a three set battle against Zach Viiala, but fell 6-4, 2-6, 6-1. No. 23-ranked Kenta Miyoshi defeated No. 11-ranked Matthew Forbes in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 and No. 101-ranked William Mroz defeated No. 36-ranked Ozan Baris, 6-3, 6-2.
The Spartans return home to face USC and UCLA this weekend at the MSU Indoor Tennis Center.
Fans can keep up with the Spartan men's tennis team on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter by following @MSU_MTennis.
No. 35 Michigan State vs No. 10 Illinois
Urbana-Champaign, Illinois
March 22, 2026
MSU 4, Illinois 3
Doubles:
1. No. 18 Taym Alazmeh/Danial Rakhmatullayev (MSU) def. Gabriel Debru/Tyler Bowers (Illinois) 6-2
2. Ozan Baris/Matthew Forbes (MSU) def. No. 41 William Mroz/Kenta Miyoshi (Illinois) 7-6 (7-2)
3. David Bakonyi/Zach Viiala (Illinois) def. No. 30 Aristotelis Thanos/Mitchell Sheldon (MSU) 6-3
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
Singles:
1. No. 50 Aristotelis Thanos (MSU) def. No. 28 Gabriel Debru (Illinois) 6-4, 6-1
2. No. 23 Kenta Miyoshi (Illinois) def. No. 11 Matthew Forbes (MSU) 6-3, 6-3
3. No. 101 William Mroz (Illinois) def. No. 36 Ozan Baris (MSU) 6-3, 6-2
4. Danial Rakhmatullayev (MSU) def. Adam Jilly (Illinois) 5-7, 7-5, 6-2
5. Zach Viiala (Illinois) def. Taym Alazmeh (MSU) 6-4, 2-6, 6-1
6. Mitchell Sheldon (MSU) def. Sasha Colleu (Illinois) 6-3, 7-5
Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1, 6, 5, 4
Match Notes:
Michigan State 9-7, 6-0 B1G; National ranking #35
Illinois 15-4, 5-1 B1G; National ranking #10
The Green & White has had an incredibly impressive start to the spring season, currently on a six-match win streak to conference play, and is 9-7 overall, while snapping the Illini's 11-match win streak and also dealing Illinois its first B1G loss of the season, now 15-4 overall and 5-1 in B1G play. MSU completed its sweep of the Land of Lincoln road trip, knocking off Northwestern on Friday night, 4-1.
Sunday's Spartan win over the 10th-ranked Illini team was Michigan State's second upset on the road over a Top 10 ranked team in the last seven days. Last Sunday, MSU upset No. 1 Ohio State, dealing OSU its first Big Ten home loss since 2003.
Sophomore Danial Rakhmatullayev clinched the Victory for MSU this Sunday with a win at No. 4 singles, after the previous matches had all gone final and leaving the team score at 3-3. Rakhmatullayev rallied against Adam Jilly after dropping the first set 5-7. Rakhmatullayev bounced back to take the second set, 7-5, setting up the decisive tie-breaking set in the tie-breaking match in three sets, and Rakhmatullayev won the third, 6-2, sparking the celebration as Rakhmatullayev was mobbed by his teammates..
Michigan State started strong on Sunday, earning the doubles point and establishing an early lead. First on the board was the dynamic duo of junior Taym Alazmeh and sophomore Danial Rakhmatullayev after they defeated Gabriel Debru and Tyler Bowers 6-2.
Senior Ozan Baris and his sophomore doubles partner Matthew Forbes secured the point for the Spartans after they took down the No. 41-ranked William Mroz and Kenta Miyoshi 7-6 (7-2). Redshirt senior Aristotelis Thanos and his sophomore pairing Mitchell Sheldon took the court opposite David Bakonyi and Zach Viiala, but fell 3-6.
The Spartans had a standout performance in singles, earning three victories to claim the upset win. Up first, No. 50-ranked Thanos faced No. 28-ranked Gabriel Debru from Illinois, defeating him in straight-sets 6-4, 6-1. Following his teammate's lead, Sheldon defeated his Illini opponent Sasha Colleu in a straight-sets, 6-3, 7-5.
Alazmeh put up a three set battle against Zach Viiala, but fell 6-4, 2-6, 6-1. No. 23-ranked Kenta Miyoshi defeated No. 11-ranked Matthew Forbes in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 and No. 101-ranked William Mroz defeated No. 36-ranked Ozan Baris, 6-3, 6-2.
The Spartans return home to face USC and UCLA this weekend at the MSU Indoor Tennis Center.
Fans can keep up with the Spartan men's tennis team on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter by following @MSU_MTennis.
No. 35 Michigan State vs No. 10 Illinois
Urbana-Champaign, Illinois
March 22, 2026
MSU 4, Illinois 3
Doubles:
1. No. 18 Taym Alazmeh/Danial Rakhmatullayev (MSU) def. Gabriel Debru/Tyler Bowers (Illinois) 6-2
2. Ozan Baris/Matthew Forbes (MSU) def. No. 41 William Mroz/Kenta Miyoshi (Illinois) 7-6 (7-2)
3. David Bakonyi/Zach Viiala (Illinois) def. No. 30 Aristotelis Thanos/Mitchell Sheldon (MSU) 6-3
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
Singles:
1. No. 50 Aristotelis Thanos (MSU) def. No. 28 Gabriel Debru (Illinois) 6-4, 6-1
2. No. 23 Kenta Miyoshi (Illinois) def. No. 11 Matthew Forbes (MSU) 6-3, 6-3
3. No. 101 William Mroz (Illinois) def. No. 36 Ozan Baris (MSU) 6-3, 6-2
4. Danial Rakhmatullayev (MSU) def. Adam Jilly (Illinois) 5-7, 7-5, 6-2
5. Zach Viiala (Illinois) def. Taym Alazmeh (MSU) 6-4, 2-6, 6-1
6. Mitchell Sheldon (MSU) def. Sasha Colleu (Illinois) 6-3, 7-5
Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1, 6, 5, 4
Match Notes:
Michigan State 9-7, 6-0 B1G; National ranking #35
Illinois 15-4, 5-1 B1G; National ranking #10
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,1,2
#1 Singles Match
12
66
Gabriel Debru / 0 (28/-) [ILLINI]
41
#2 Singles Match
12
33
Kenta Miyoshi / 0 (23/-) [ILLINI]
66
#3 Singles Match
12
32
William Mroz / 0 (101/-) [ILLINI]
66
#4 Singles Match
123
576
Adam Jilly / 0 [ILLINI]
752
#5 Singles Match
123
461
Zach Viiala / 0 [ILLINI]
626
#6 Singles Match
12
67
Sasha Colleu / 0 [ILLINI]
35
Order of Finish:
3,2,1,6,5,4
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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