STARKVILLE, Miss. – The seventh-ranked Tennessee men’s tennis team pulled off a 4-3 comeback victory over No. 14 Mississippi State, fueled by Shunsuke Mitsui’s three-set battle to clinch on Friday night at A.J. Pitts Tennis Center.
No. 37 Mitsui fought to win his first set in a 7-3 tiebreaker at 6-all on court two. His opponent, No. 42 Petar Jovanovic, took the second set in 7-5 fashion to force a third. The two battled and exchanged points in the final set before Mitsui cranked out two straight to win, 6-4.
The Vols (20-4, 9-1 SEC) secured their 25th 20-win season in program history and have now defeated three straight top-25 ranked opponents.
The Bulldogs (15-6, 7-3 SEC) took the doubles point with wins on courts three and one, and posted back-to-back singles wins on courts five and three to take an early 3-0 advantage. James Newton routed Roberto Ferrer Guimaraes, 6-1, 6-3, on court six to record his first career SEC win. Fourth-ranked Johannus Monday followed with a 7-6(5), 6-3 effort over No. 107 Nemanja Malesevic atop the lineup. Filip Pieczonka tied the score at 3-all with a 6-3, 7-6(6) win over Dusan Mlanovic on court four.
SHUN FOR THE WIN!
Shunsuke Mitsui defeated his eighth ranked opponent of the season with his win over MSU’s 42nd-ranked Petar Jovanovic and holds a 2-0 record in three-set matches in 2024. The junior boasts an 8-3 record in conference play at the No. 2 position this season.
JOMO AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS
With his straight-set win over the Bulldogs’ 107th-ranked Nemanja Malesevic, Johannus Monday posted his 14th victory over a ranked opponent this season. The senior is one win away from eclipsing 100 career singles victories.
DOMINATING IN CONFERENCE PLAY
UT currently sits in second place in the SEC with a 9-1 record, right behind Kentucky (10-0). The Vols are on a five-match winning streak with two conference matches left in the regular season, both of which are away.
UP NEXT
Tennessee will travel to Oxford to take on No. 59 Ole Miss at Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center on Sunday. First serve is slated for 2 p.m. ET (1 p.m. CT).
RESULTS
Doubles
1. #22 Petar Jovanovic/B. Sanchez Martinez (MS) def. #8 Angel Diaz/Johannus Monday (UT), 6-3
2. Nemanja Malesevic/Michal Novansky (MS) vs. #50 Shunsuke Mitsui/Filip Pieczonka (UT), 4-3, unfinished
3. Carles Hernandez/Dusan Milanovic (MS) def. Filip Apltauer/Younes Lalami (UT), 6-1
Order of Finish: 3,1
Singles
1. #4 Johannus Monday…
No. 37 Mitsui fought to win his first set in a 7-3 tiebreaker at 6-all on court two. His opponent, No. 42 Petar Jovanovic, took the second set in 7-5 fashion to force a third. The two battled and exchanged points in the final set before Mitsui cranked out two straight to win, 6-4.
The Vols (20-4, 9-1 SEC) secured their 25th 20-win season in program history and have now defeated three straight top-25 ranked opponents.
The Bulldogs (15-6, 7-3 SEC) took the doubles point with wins on courts three and one, and posted back-to-back singles wins on courts five and three to take an early 3-0 advantage. James Newton routed Roberto Ferrer Guimaraes, 6-1, 6-3, on court six to record his first career SEC win. Fourth-ranked Johannus Monday followed with a 7-6(5), 6-3 effort over No. 107 Nemanja Malesevic atop the lineup. Filip Pieczonka tied the score at 3-all with a 6-3, 7-6(6) win over Dusan Mlanovic on court four.
SHUN FOR THE WIN!
Shunsuke Mitsui defeated his eighth ranked opponent of the season with his win over MSU’s 42nd-ranked Petar Jovanovic and holds a 2-0 record in three-set matches in 2024. The junior boasts an 8-3 record in conference play at the No. 2 position this season.
JOMO AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS
With his straight-set win over the Bulldogs’ 107th-ranked Nemanja Malesevic, Johannus Monday posted his 14th victory over a ranked opponent this season. The senior is one win away from eclipsing 100 career singles victories.
DOMINATING IN CONFERENCE PLAY
UT currently sits in second place in the SEC with a 9-1 record, right behind Kentucky (10-0). The Vols are on a five-match winning streak with two conference matches left in the regular season, both of which are away.
UP NEXT
Tennessee will travel to Oxford to take on No. 59 Ole Miss at Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center on Sunday. First serve is slated for 2 p.m. ET (1 p.m. CT).
RESULTS
Doubles
1. #22 Petar Jovanovic/B. Sanchez Martinez (MS) def. #8 Angel Diaz/Johannus Monday (UT), 6-3
2. Nemanja Malesevic/Michal Novansky (MS) vs. #50 Shunsuke Mitsui/Filip Pieczonka (UT), 4-3, unfinished
3. Carles Hernandez/Dusan Milanovic (MS) def. Filip Apltauer/Younes Lalami (UT), 6-1
Order of Finish: 3,1
Singles
1. #4 Johannus Monday…
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