Michigan
SMU
Wolverines Rally as Kittay Clinches Match for Michigan Over SMU
2/16/2025 11:58:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Site: Dallas, Texas (Styslinger/Altec Tennis Complex)
Score: #20 Michigan 4, SMU 3
Records: U-M (5-3), SMU (7-6)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Feb. 22 -- at Illinois (Champaign, Ill.), 6 p.m. CST
DALLAS, Texas -- The No. 20th-ranked University of Michigan men's tennis team posted a 4-3 come-from-behind victory over host SMUÂ in the Wolverines' final match at the 2025 ITA National Team Indoors on Sunday (Feb. 16) in the Styslinger/Altec Tennis Complex.
Tied at 3-3, the match came down to No. 1 singles between No. 87 Benjamin Kittay and No. 70 Trevor Svajda in the third set. Kittay won the opening match winning the last three games for a 6-4 decision, before Svajda responded with a 6-3 second set. Kittay collected three straight games to take a 5-2 advantage. Svajda held serve before Kittay closed out serving up a win, 6-4.
The Mustangs won the doubles point and took a 3-1 lead winning at No. 4 and 5.
Alex Cairo put the Wolverines on the board with a win over Maks Silagy at No. 6, 6-2, 6-3. He started strong in the first set breaking Silagy twice as he took a 5-1 advantage. Knotted at 3-3 in the second set Cairo won the last three games for his first dual win of the season.
Will Cooksey inched Michigan within one as he defeated Jerry Barton at No. 2 with matching 6-4 scores. The senior is now 5-2 in dual singles action. Moments later Bjorn Swenson tied the match with his win over Ofek Shimanov at No. 3, with 6-4 sets.
Michigan is back in action on Saturday (Feb. 22) when it takes on Illinois in non-conference action in Champaign. Match time is at 6 p.m. CT.
Following are match-by-match results
Singles
No. 1 – No. 87 Benjamin Kittay (U-M) d. No. 70 Trevor Svajda (SMU), 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
No. 2 – Will Cooksey (U-M) d. Jerry Barton (SMU), 6-4, 6-4
No. 3 – Bjorn Swenson (U-M) d. Ofek Shimanov (SMU), 6-4, 6-4
No. 4 – Georgi Georgiev (SMU) d. No. 117 Patorn Hanchaikul (U-M), 0-6, 3-6
No. 5 – Louis Cloud (SMU) d. Nicholas Steiglehner (U-M), 6-3, 6-2
No. 6 – Alex Cairo (U-M) d. Maks Silagy (SMU), 6-2, 6-3
Doubles
No. 1 – Maks Silagy/Georgi Georgiev (SMU) d. Benjamin Kittay/Will Cooksey (U-M), 6-3
No. 2 – Bjorn Swenson/Mert Oral (U-M) vs. Louis Cloud/Trevor Svajda (SMU), 5-4 abandoned
No. 3 – Vikas Deo/Xavier Calvelo (SMU) d. Alex Cairo/Patorn Hanchaikul (U-M), 6-4
Order of Completion: Doubles 1-3, Singles 6-4-5-2-3-1
Players Mentioned
