KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The sixth-ranked Tennessee men’s tennis team battled to defeat No. 14 Michigan, 4-3, on Thursday night at Goodfriend Tennis Center.
No. 20 Johannus Monday delivered the clinching point in a hard-fought three-setter, taking down Michigan’s No. 9 Gavin Young, 7-5, 6-7(4), 6-4, recording his 40th career win over a ranked opponent.
The Vols won the doubles point after a clinching 6-2 effort from No. 26 Monday and Angel Diaz over Michigan’s 31st-ranked duo Gavin Young and Nino Ehrenschneider on court one. The victory marked the pair’s first ranked win of the season to extend their overall record to 4-0 in 2023-24. Younes Lalami and Filip Apltauer finished first on court three, taking down the Wolverines’ Jacob Bickersteth and Bjorn Swenson, 6-2. No. 34 Filip Pieczonka and Shunsuke Mitsui were up 5-4 on court two before going unfinished.
Pieczonka gave Tennessee a 2-0 advantage after rolling Cooksey, 6-1, 6-2, on court five, winning 100 percent of his break points and 83 percent of his first serve points. Michigan earned its first point with a victory on court four, but No. 33 Mitsui defeated Swensen, 7-5, 6-2, to extend UT’s lead to 3-1.
The Wolverines evened the match 3-3 after winning on courts six and two, leaving court one as the deciding factor. Monday took his first set over Young, 7-5, before narrowly dropping the second set in a tiebreaker, 6-7(4). The third set was a back-and-forth-affair, with Monday and Young tying the score at four points each. However, Monday rallied to win two straight points, securing the victory for the Big Orange.
MONDAY VS. RANKED OPPONENTS
Monday’s win over No. 9 Gavin Young marked his 40th career win over a ranked opponent, and extended his record against top-10 opponents to 9-0.
TENNESSEE VS. RANKED OPPONENTS
The Vols’ 4-3 victory over No. 14 Michigan marked their first win over a ranked opponent this season and their eighth since the start of the 2023 dual match season.
UP NEXT
No. 6 Tennessee welcomes No. 15 Wake Forest to Rocky Top for another top-25 matchup on Jan. 21 at 1 p.m. ET at Goodfriend Tennis Center.
RESULTS
Doubles
1. #26 Johannus Monday/Angel Diaz (UT) def. #31 Gavin Young/Nino Ehrenschneider (UM), 6-2
2. #34 Shunsuke Mitsui/Filip Pieczonka (UT) vs. Will Cooksey/Patorn Hanchaikul, unfinished
3. Younes Lalami/Filip Apltauer (UT) def. Jacob Bickersteth/Bjorn Swenson (UM) 6-2
Order of Finish: 3,1
Singles
1. #20 Johannus Monday (UT) def….
No. 20 Johannus Monday delivered the clinching point in a hard-fought three-setter, taking down Michigan’s No. 9 Gavin Young, 7-5, 6-7(4), 6-4, recording his 40th career win over a ranked opponent.
The Vols won the doubles point after a clinching 6-2 effort from No. 26 Monday and Angel Diaz over Michigan’s 31st-ranked duo Gavin Young and Nino Ehrenschneider on court one. The victory marked the pair’s first ranked win of the season to extend their overall record to 4-0 in 2023-24. Younes Lalami and Filip Apltauer finished first on court three, taking down the Wolverines’ Jacob Bickersteth and Bjorn Swenson, 6-2. No. 34 Filip Pieczonka and Shunsuke Mitsui were up 5-4 on court two before going unfinished.
Pieczonka gave Tennessee a 2-0 advantage after rolling Cooksey, 6-1, 6-2, on court five, winning 100 percent of his break points and 83 percent of his first serve points. Michigan earned its first point with a victory on court four, but No. 33 Mitsui defeated Swensen, 7-5, 6-2, to extend UT’s lead to 3-1.
The Wolverines evened the match 3-3 after winning on courts six and two, leaving court one as the deciding factor. Monday took his first set over Young, 7-5, before narrowly dropping the second set in a tiebreaker, 6-7(4). The third set was a back-and-forth-affair, with Monday and Young tying the score at four points each. However, Monday rallied to win two straight points, securing the victory for the Big Orange.
MONDAY VS. RANKED OPPONENTS
Monday’s win over No. 9 Gavin Young marked his 40th career win over a ranked opponent, and extended his record against top-10 opponents to 9-0.
TENNESSEE VS. RANKED OPPONENTS
The Vols’ 4-3 victory over No. 14 Michigan marked their first win over a ranked opponent this season and their eighth since the start of the 2023 dual match season.
UP NEXT
No. 6 Tennessee welcomes No. 15 Wake Forest to Rocky Top for another top-25 matchup on Jan. 21 at 1 p.m. ET at Goodfriend Tennis Center.
RESULTS
Doubles
1. #26 Johannus Monday/Angel Diaz (UT) def. #31 Gavin Young/Nino Ehrenschneider (UM), 6-2
2. #34 Shunsuke Mitsui/Filip Pieczonka (UT) vs. Will Cooksey/Patorn Hanchaikul, unfinished
3. Younes Lalami/Filip Apltauer (UT) def. Jacob Bickersteth/Bjorn Swenson (UM) 6-2
Order of Finish: 3,1
Singles
1. #20 Johannus Monday (UT) def….
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