Waco, Texas – Michigan State men’s tennis had two players return to work in the Round of 32 at the NCAA Individual Championships in Waco, Texas.
In an exciting tennis matchup to start out the Round of 32 for the Spartans, junior Ozan Baris emerged victorious over Carl Emil Overbeck of Cal Berkeley in a hard-fought three-set battle.
With the win, Baris becomes an ITA All-American, his third All-American accolade in as many years and the first Spartan to achieve this honor.
Baris claimed the first set, 6-3, with a mix of aggressive baseline play and precise serving, setting the tone early in the match. Overbeck responded in the second set, showcasing resilience and tactical adjustments to narrowly defeat Baris, 7-5, forcing a decisive third set. Despite the momentum shift, Baris regained control, dominating the final set, 6-2, with sharp returns and well-timed winners to seal the match.
Baris will continue to fight in the Sweet 16 against Pedro Vives (TCU) on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. CT.
n a closely contested match, redshirt sophomore Aristotelis Thanos fell to Colton Smith of Arizona in a grueling three-set showdown. Thanos started strong, taking the first set 6-4 with well-placed shots and a steady rhythm.
Smith, however, found his stride in the second set, rallying to claim it at 6-4. The final set mirrored the intensity of the match, but Smith maintained his momentum, pulling ahead to secure another 6-4 victory and the match to end Thanos’ NCAA Individual Championships run.
Keep up with the Spartans’ progress in the NCAA Individual Championships with the Tournament Central link at MSUSpartans.com.
Singles Results:
Ozan Baris (MSU) def. Carl Emil Overbeck (Cal Berkley) 6-3, 5-7, 6-2
Colton Smith (Arizona) def. Aristotelis Thanos (MSU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
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