Michigan State University men’s tennis experienced a season of highs and lows, ultimately finishing with a 15-8 overall record and a 10-3 mark in Big Ten play.
With a strong conference record, MSU earned the No. 3 seed in the Big Ten Tournament and will face No. 6 seed USC in the opening round.
Following a successful regular season, five Spartans received All-Big Ten honors: junior Ozan Baris, redshirt sophomore Aristotelis Thanos, senior Max Sheldon, and freshmen Matthew Forbes and Danial Rakhmatullayev.
Baris and Thanos both earned First Team All-Big Ten honors, solidifying their place in program history. It marks the third straight selection for Baris and the second for Thanos.
Baris, the ITA Midwest Singles Champion, posted a 9-8 singles record and went 7-4 in Big Ten doubles play. He also reached a career-high ITA national singles ranking of No. 5 and was named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week on Oct. 16.
Thanos was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Jan. 22 and excelled in conference singles with a 5-1 record. He also added a 2-3 mark in Big Ten doubles play.
Senior Max Sheldon also earned All-Big Ten honors after previously making the First Team as a sophomore. He was named Big Ten Player of the Week twice this season, on Sept. 25 and March 19. Sheldon posted an 8-1 record in Big Ten singles play and went 6-3 in conference doubles, finishing with an 11-7 overall doubles record.
Freshmen Matthew Forbes and Danial Rakhmatullayev also earned conference recognition for their standout seasons.
Forbes was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team after a strong debut campaign. He earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors on Feb. 5 and finished the season with an 11-5 singles record, including a 4-2 mark in conference play. He also went 8-8 in doubles, with a 6-1 record in Big Ten matches.
Rakhmatullayev received the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award, which honors student-athletes who demonstrate exemplary sportsmanship, integrity, academic achievement and community involvement.
Rakhmatullayev received the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award, which honors student-athletes who demonstrate exemplary sportsmanship, integrity, academic achievement and community involvement.
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