Oral Secures Win for Wolverines over Volunteers

Sunday, February 8

Ann Arbor, Mich.

Noon

Michigan

Tennessee

Mert Oral (Michigan Photography)

2/8/2026 4:40:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Photo Gallery

By: Kristy McNeil

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Varsity Tennis Center)
Score: Michigan 4, Tennessee 3
Records: U-M (2-4), UT (5-4)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Feb. 13 -- vs. Western Michigan (Varsity Tennis Center) 5 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Senior and Ann Arbor native Mert Oral clinched the match at No. 4 singles with a third-set victory to help lift the University of Michigan men's tennis team to a 4-3 win over Tennessee at the Varsity Tennis Center on Sunday (Feb. 8).

Fans flocked to No. 4 singles, where it was Oral versus Piotr Siekanowicz to decide the win. Oral fell 7-6 (2) in the first set before winning a 6-4 second set. The third was knotted at 2-2 before Oral broke and consolidated on deuce point to gain a 4-2 advantage. Both held serve to put Oral within one, 5-3. The senior earned a break at 40-40 to take the game and the match -- as he was swarmed by teammates in celebration.

The Wolverines claimed the doubles point for the second straight match, but never had more than a one-point lead over the visiting Volunteers. Tennessee (5-4) got on the board with a straight set win at No. 6, but Michigan (2-4) quickly responded to regain the lead, 2-1. No. 71-ranked Bjorn Swenson dominated at No. 2 singles, earning a break to win the first set 6-3 before jumping out to a 5-1 edge in the second before securing the 6-2 set.

Tennessee evened the score at 2-2, winning in two sets at No. 5 singles.

Max Dahlin, who had posted a huge win over two-time national champion Michael Zheng yesterday, battled back after dropping his first set at No. 1 singles for the victory. The No. 8-ranked Dahlin broke No. 56-ranked Alejandro Moreno early to gain a 4-2 edge in the second set. Up 4-3, he won back-to-back games to take the set 6-3 and force a decisive third. The All-American jumped out to a 3-0 advantage and never looked back in a 6-2 win to push Michigan ahead 3-2 on the scoreboard.

On the next court over, Nicholas Steiglehner put up a fight in his third set after splitting 6-3, 6-2 with Jose Garcia at No. 3 singles. Garcia grabbed a 3-1 lead in the third before Steiglehner tied it at 3-3. The Volunteers closed out winning three of the next four games.

Michigan is back in action on Friday (Feb. 13) when it hosts Western Michigan at 5 p.m.

Following are match-by-match results

Singles

No. 1 – No. 8 Max Dahlin (U-M) d. No. 56 Alejandro Moreno (UT) 2-6, 6-3, 6-2
No. 2 – No. 71 Bjorn Swenson (U-M) d. Dragos Cazacu (UT) 6-3, 6-2
No. 3 – Jose Garcia (UT) d. Nicholas Steiglehner (U-M) 6-3, 2-6, 6-4
No. 4 – Mert Oral (U-M) d. Piotr Siekanowicz (UT) 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-3
No. 5 – Jan Kobierski (UT) d. Arnav Bhandari (U-M) 6-3, 6-4
No. 6 – Boruch Skierkier (UT) d. Pierce Shaya (U-M) 6-2, 6-1

Doubles

No. 1 – Max Dahlin/Pierce Shaya (U-M) d. Dragos Cazacu/Piotr Siekanowicz (UT) 6-4
No. 2 – Bjorn Swenson/Mert Oral (U-M) d. Alejandro Moreno/Jose Garcia (UT) 7-6 (2)
No. 3 – Shion Itsusaki/Ethan Muza (UT) d. Nicholas Steiglehner/Arnav Bhandari (U-M) 6-1