Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State Men’s Tennis Opened Fall Season With Solid Showing At ITA All-American Championships
9/28/2026 3:52:00 PM | Men's Tennis
MSU sent four players to Tulsa.
TULSA, Okla. -- Michigan State men's tennis competed in the ITA Men's All-American Championships this past week, Sept. 19-27, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, featuring a field of the top collegiate players in both singles and doubles draws.
The Green & White sent four competitors: senior Taym Alazmeh, juniors Danial Rakhmatullayev and Mitchell Sheldon, and sophomore Piotr Andrzejewski, for the first action of the fall season.
All four Spartans competed in the first round of prequalifying singles. Rakhmatullayev and Sheldon went on to play in the qualifying singles round.
Rakhmatullayev started off strong for MSU, picking up three victories in the prequalifying round. He began with a win over Patrik Jurina (Viginia Tech) 6-2, 6-0. He later beat Sebastian Medica (DePaul) 6-2, 6-7, 6-3. Finally, he finished the round defeating Tristan Berard (Ariz) 6-4, 2-6, 6-3. His run would later end in the qualifying round after a tough loss to Erik Schiessl (Unattached) 4-6, 3-6.
Michigan State's Sheldon also had an impressive showing in the prequalifying round. Sheldon picked up a win over Jan Sebesta (Nebraska) 6-3, 6-4, followed by a victory over Alejandro Melero (Oklahoma) 6-4, 6-4. He continued his run by defeating Hank Trondson (Oklahoma St.) 6-7, 6-4, 7-5. Sheldon's run would end in the qualifying stage in a loss to Charlie Robertson (South Carolina) 3-6, 6-4, 4-6.
Alazmeh battled in his two prequalifying matches, but ultimately fell to Matthias Uwe Kask (Unattached) 3-6, 2-6, and Luka Butera (Penn) 2-6, 5-7.
Andrzejewski competed in the prequalifying singles round but came up short in matches against Simon Caldwell (ASU) 0-6, 6-7, and Adrien Berrut (San Diego) 4-6, 1-6.
In doubles, Alazmeh and Rakhmatullayev picked up a win in the main draw stage over Poertner/Pisaric (Pepperdine) 4-6, 7-6, 11-9. Their run unfortunately came to an end with losses to Arseneault/Arseneault (Kentucky) 1-6, 6-1, 2-10, and Bharadwaj/Vales (Penn) 4-6, 6-7.
The Spartans will now turn their focus towards a split squad weekend next week, with some Spartans heading to the West Coast for the Battle in the Bay Tournament in San Francisco, California, from Thursday to Sunday, Oct. 1-4, while other Spartans will be competing in the Hope College RSM Invite in Holland, Michigan, from Friday-Sunday, Oct. 2-4.
Fans can keep up to date with the Spartan men's tennis team on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter by following @MSU_MTennis.
Tennis Match Results
ITA All-American Championships
Sept 19-27, 2025 at Tulsa, Okla.
Pre-Qualifying Singles:
Danial Rakhmatullayev (MSU) def. Patrik Jurina (Viginia Tech) 6-2, 6-0
Danial Rakhmatullayev (MSU) def. Sebastian Medica (DePaul) 6-2, 6-7, 6-3
Danial Rakhmatullayev (MSU) def. Tristan Berard (Ariz) 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
Mitchell Sheldon (MSU) def. Jan Sebesta (Nebraska) 6-3, 6-4
Mitchell Sheldon (MSU) def. Alejandro Melero (Oklahoma) 6-4, 6-4
Mitchell Sheldon (MSU) def. Hank Trondson (Oklahoma St.) 6-7, 6-4, 7-5
Simon Caldwell (ASU) def. Piotr Andrzejewski (MSU) 6-0, 7-6
Adrien Berrut (San Diego) def. Piotr Andrzejewski (MSU) 6-4, 6-1
Matthias Uwe Kask (Unattached) def. Taym Alazmeh (MSU) 6-3, 6-2
Luka Butera (Penn) def. Taym Alazmeh (MSU) 6-2, 7-5
Qualifying Singles:
Erik Schiessl (Unattached) def. Danial Rakhmatullayev (MSU) 6-4, 6-3
Charlie Robertson (South Carolina) def. Mitchell Sheldon (MSU) 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
Main Draw Doubles:
Arseneault/Arseneault (Kentucky) def. Alazmeh/Rakhmatullayev (MSU) 6-1, 1-6, 10-2
Alazmeh/Rakhmatullayev (MSU) def. Poertner/Pisaric (Pepperdine) 4-6, 7-6, 11-9
Bharadwaj/Vales (Penn) def. Alazmeh/Rakhmatullayev (MSU) 6-4, 7-6
The Green & White sent four competitors: senior Taym Alazmeh, juniors Danial Rakhmatullayev and Mitchell Sheldon, and sophomore Piotr Andrzejewski, for the first action of the fall season.
All four Spartans competed in the first round of prequalifying singles. Rakhmatullayev and Sheldon went on to play in the qualifying singles round.
Rakhmatullayev started off strong for MSU, picking up three victories in the prequalifying round. He began with a win over Patrik Jurina (Viginia Tech) 6-2, 6-0. He later beat Sebastian Medica (DePaul) 6-2, 6-7, 6-3. Finally, he finished the round defeating Tristan Berard (Ariz) 6-4, 2-6, 6-3. His run would later end in the qualifying round after a tough loss to Erik Schiessl (Unattached) 4-6, 3-6.
Michigan State's Sheldon also had an impressive showing in the prequalifying round. Sheldon picked up a win over Jan Sebesta (Nebraska) 6-3, 6-4, followed by a victory over Alejandro Melero (Oklahoma) 6-4, 6-4. He continued his run by defeating Hank Trondson (Oklahoma St.) 6-7, 6-4, 7-5. Sheldon's run would end in the qualifying stage in a loss to Charlie Robertson (South Carolina) 3-6, 6-4, 4-6.
Alazmeh battled in his two prequalifying matches, but ultimately fell to Matthias Uwe Kask (Unattached) 3-6, 2-6, and Luka Butera (Penn) 2-6, 5-7.
Andrzejewski competed in the prequalifying singles round but came up short in matches against Simon Caldwell (ASU) 0-6, 6-7, and Adrien Berrut (San Diego) 4-6, 1-6.
In doubles, Alazmeh and Rakhmatullayev picked up a win in the main draw stage over Poertner/Pisaric (Pepperdine) 4-6, 7-6, 11-9. Their run unfortunately came to an end with losses to Arseneault/Arseneault (Kentucky) 1-6, 6-1, 2-10, and Bharadwaj/Vales (Penn) 4-6, 6-7.
The Spartans will now turn their focus towards a split squad weekend next week, with some Spartans heading to the West Coast for the Battle in the Bay Tournament in San Francisco, California, from Thursday to Sunday, Oct. 1-4, while other Spartans will be competing in the Hope College RSM Invite in Holland, Michigan, from Friday-Sunday, Oct. 2-4.
Fans can keep up to date with the Spartan men's tennis team on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter by following @MSU_MTennis.
Tennis Match Results
ITA All-American Championships
Sept 19-27, 2025 at Tulsa, Okla.
Pre-Qualifying Singles:
Danial Rakhmatullayev (MSU) def. Patrik Jurina (Viginia Tech) 6-2, 6-0
Danial Rakhmatullayev (MSU) def. Sebastian Medica (DePaul) 6-2, 6-7, 6-3
Danial Rakhmatullayev (MSU) def. Tristan Berard (Ariz) 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
Mitchell Sheldon (MSU) def. Jan Sebesta (Nebraska) 6-3, 6-4
Mitchell Sheldon (MSU) def. Alejandro Melero (Oklahoma) 6-4, 6-4
Mitchell Sheldon (MSU) def. Hank Trondson (Oklahoma St.) 6-7, 6-4, 7-5
Simon Caldwell (ASU) def. Piotr Andrzejewski (MSU) 6-0, 7-6
Adrien Berrut (San Diego) def. Piotr Andrzejewski (MSU) 6-4, 6-1
Matthias Uwe Kask (Unattached) def. Taym Alazmeh (MSU) 6-3, 6-2
Luka Butera (Penn) def. Taym Alazmeh (MSU) 6-2, 7-5
Qualifying Singles:
Erik Schiessl (Unattached) def. Danial Rakhmatullayev (MSU) 6-4, 6-3
Charlie Robertson (South Carolina) def. Mitchell Sheldon (MSU) 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
Main Draw Doubles:
Arseneault/Arseneault (Kentucky) def. Alazmeh/Rakhmatullayev (MSU) 6-1, 1-6, 10-2
Alazmeh/Rakhmatullayev (MSU) def. Poertner/Pisaric (Pepperdine) 4-6, 7-6, 11-9
Bharadwaj/Vales (Penn) def. Alazmeh/Rakhmatullayev (MSU) 6-4, 7-6
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
Monday, April 27
Sunday, April 19
Thursday, January 23
Tuesday, January 14