Michigan State men’s tennis sweeps West Coast, moves within reach of Big Ten title
Back-to-back 4–0 wins push Spartans to 10–0 in conference play
Michigan State did not leave anything unresolved on its West Coast trip. It handled both matches with clarity, depth, and control – and in doing so, moved to the edge of a Big Ten championship.
The No. 20 Spartans opened the weekend with a 4–0 win over Washington in Seattle, then followed it with another 4–0 sweep at No. 53 Oregon in Eugene, extending their winning streak to 10 matches and improving to 10–0 in Big Ten play.
The scores were identical. The paths showed just how complete this lineup has become.
At Washington, the tone was set in doubles, but not without resistance.
Michigan State had to earn the point through two tiebreaks. The pairing of Mitchell Sheldon and David Saye broke through first at No. 3, winning 7–6, and the senior duo of Ozan Baris and Aristotelis Thanos followed with another tiebreak win to clinch the doubles point.
That early edge immediately translated into singles victories.
Taym Alazmeh delivered the most decisive performance of the match, a 6–2, 6–0 result that put Michigan State firmly in control. Baris added a composed 7–5, 6–2 win, and Thanos closed the match from the top spot with a straight-set victory of his own. Three additional matches were still being contested when the clinch came, a reflection of how quickly the Spartans established control across the lineup.
Two days later in Eugene, Michigan State removed even the early tension.
The doubles point came quickly and cleanly. Baris paired with Matthew Forbes at No. 1 to take down a ranked Oregon duo, 6–1, and Alazmeh and Saye followed with a 6–4 win to secure the point without needing a third match.
From there, the Spartans dictated the match during singles.
Mitchell Sheldon was first off the court, overwhelming his opponent in the opening set and building a second-set lead before the match was stopped. Thanos controlled the top of the lineup again with a 6–3, 6–2 win, and Alazmeh provided the clincher after a three-set performance that briefly swung in the middle before he reasserted control in the final set.
Behind those results, the rest of the lineup was trending in the same direction...
