MSU Men's Tennis rallies late, wins final three singles matches to edge No. 24 USC
Down 3-1 early, Spartans close with three straight victories to stay unbeaten in Big Ten play
Michigan State did not control this match early - but what mattered was how it finished.
After dropping the doubles point and falling behind 3-1 midway through singles play, the Spartans flipped the script by winning the final three courts to secure a 4-3 victory over No. 24 USC on Friday night at the MSU Indoor Tennis Center.
The comeback pushed Michigan State’s winning streak to seven matches and kept its conference record perfect at 7-0, but the path there required composure across the final stretch of singles.
Photo credit: Marvin Hall/Spartans Illustrated
The night began with USC taking the early edge. Michigan State earned a doubles win from Taym Alazmeh and Danial Rakhmatullayev at the No. 1 spot, but the Trojans claimed the other two courts to secure the opening point and a 1-0 lead.
Singles play quickly added pressure.
Ozan Baris delivered a steady response at No. 3 singles, earning a straight-set win to even the match at 1-1, but USC answered with victories at No. 5 and No. 6. With those results coming early in the order of finish – courts 5, 3, and 6 – the Trojans moved in front 3-1 and placed Michigan State on the brink.
From there, the match turned entirely.
Matthew Forbes started the push at No. 2 singles, recovering from a first-set loss to grind out a three-set win. His comeback not only extended the match but also erased multiple team match points along the way, keeping the Spartans alive.
Photo credit: Marvin Hall/Spartans Illustrated
With the deficit trimmed to 3-2, attention shifted to the remaining courts.
Danial Rakhmatullayev followed with another three-set comeback at No. 4, leveling the team score at 3-3 after dropping his opening set and responding with consistent pressure in the final two. At that point, the outcome rested entirely on the top court.
Aristotelis Thanos delivered the finish.
After losing the first set, Thanos controlled the second and then navigated a tight third-set tiebreak to close out Branko Djuruc, 7-5 in the breaker, sealing the team victory. Like Forbes, Thanos had to fight off multiple match points during his comeback, underscoring the narrow margins that defined the final stages of the match.
USC built its advantage early, but Michigan State owned the closing stretch – courts 2, 4, and 1 – turning a 3-1 deficit into a 4-3 win.
It was not clean, and it was not comfortable, but it was decisive where it needed to be.
Photo credit: Marvin Hall/Spartans Illustrated
Michigan State will look to carry that momentum into Sunday’s matchup against UCLA, a quick turnaround that could bring a different kind of test.
With improving weather conditions in East Lansing, the match could be played outdoors if weather allows, introducing another variable as the Spartans try to extend their streak and remain unbeaten in conference play.
