Michigan
Columbia
No. 6 Columbia Rallies to Defeat Michigan
2/9/2025 4:26:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Site: New York, N.Y. (Milstein Tennis Center)
Score: #20 Michigan 1, #6 Columbia 4
Records: U-M (4-2), Columbia (5-1)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Feb. 14 -- at ITA National Indoor Championship (Dallas, Texas)
NEW YORK -- The No. 20 ranked University of Michigan men's tennis team took wins off of two ranked pairs in doubles to take the early lead but the No. 6 ranked Columbia Lions rallied in singles to take a 4-1 match at the Milstein Tennis Center on Sunday (Feb. 9).
Mert Oral and Bjorn Swenson had three break points as they defeated No. 62-ranked Hugo Hashimoto and Jayden Templeman 6-1 at No. 3 doubles. Oral and Swenson improved their dual record to 2-1 with their first win over a ranked pair.
The Lions won at No. 2 doubles to put the point on the shoulders of court one, where Benjamin Kittay and Patorn Hanchaikul faced No. 45 ranked Michael Zheng and Nicolas Kotzen. Tied at 6-6, the match went into a tiebreaker. Hanchaikul and Kittay fought off three match points and with the Lions pair up 9-8 won the next three points to take the match 7-6 (11-9). It marked the duo's first win over a ranked opponent, as they improve to 4-2.
The No. 1 ranked player in the nation Zheng put his team on the board as he handed Kittay his first singles loss of the season to snap a five-game win streak for the Wolverine with the 6-3, 6-1 scores.
Columbia won at No. 4 and No. 6 minutes apart to gain a 3-1 advantage. At the same time No. 2 and 3 split first-set tiebreakers, with Will Cooksey taking the 7-6 (5) edge at No. 2.
No. 41-ranked Hugo Hashimoto recorded back-to-back 6-2 sets over Hanchaikul to end his three-match win streak. Oral fell to Thanaphat Boosawawongse in his first dual singles match of the season, falling 6-2, 6-3.
A second-set tiebreaker between Nicholas Steiglehner and Sachin Palta at No. 5 decided the match as Palta posted 7-5, 7-6 (4) wins, giving Steiglehner his first loss at the position this season.
Michigan heads to Dallas, Texas for the ITA National Indoor Championship next week (Feb. 14-18). Opponents and times have yet to be determined.
Following are match-by-match results
Singles
No. 1 -- No. 1 Michael Zheng (CU) d. No. 87 Benjamin Kittay (U-M) 6-3, 6-1
No. 2 -- Will Cooksey (U-M) vs. No. 40 Nicolas Kotzen (CU) 7-6 (5), 4-6 abandoned
No. 3 -- Bjorn Swenson (U-M) vs. Max Westphal (CU) 6-7 (5), 6-5 abandoned
No. 4 -- No. 41 Hugo Hashimoto (CU) d. No. 117 Patorn Hanchaikul (U-M) 6-2, 6-2
No. 5 -- Sachin Palta (CU) d. Nicholas Steiglehner (U-M) 7-5, 7-6 (4)
No. 6 -- Thanaphat Boosawawongse (CU) d. Mert Oral (U-M) 6-2, 6-3
Doubles
No. 1 -- Benjamin Kittay/Patorn Hanchaikul (U-M) d. No. 45 Michael Zheng/Nicolas Kotzen (CU) 7-6 (9)
No. 2 -- No. 86 Max Westphal/Sachin Palta (CU) d. Will Cooksey/Nicholas Steiglehner (U-M) 6-3
No. 3 -- Mert Oral/Bjorn Swenson (U-M) d. No. 62 Hugo Hashimoto/Jayden Templeman (CU) 6-1
Order of Completion: Doubles 3-2-1; Singles 1-4-6-5
Players Mentioned
