MSU men's tennis duo of junior Max Sheldon and sophomore Ozan Baris completed a historic run at the ITA Fall National Championships double title, claiming the first national title in program history.
"This really plants the Spartan flag on the national stage and I think that a lot of people are starting to realize that Michigan State is for real," Head Coach Harry Jadun said. "We're just getting started, but, I'm excited for the future and to see where this takes us."
Sheldon and Baris topped Old Dominion brothers Connor and Codie Van Schalkwyk in the title match on Sunday, Nov. 5, 7-5, 6-3. The Monarchs siblings were up 5-4, a game away from clinching the first set of the match, but the relentless Spartans bounced back and claimed it for their own. The MSU duo would use that momentum to control the second set, never allowing the Old Dominion team to claim consecutive games, winning the match in straight sets.
Resilience was a theme throughout the course of the five-day tournament for Sheldon and Baris. The Spartan pair came out on top in tiebreakers in each of the prior four rounds.
"I'm just so proud of them for staying tough in big moments today and throughout the whole tournament," Jadun said. "From the first match on Wednesday all the way to Sunday, they played at a really high level, and that's what this tournament demands."
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