Sunday, January 19
Starkville
11 a.m.
Mississippi State
7
vs
0
Troy
Photo by: Ivy Ball/MSU Athletics
No. 11 MSU Completes Fifth-Consecutive Shutout
January 19, 2025 | Men's Tennis
STARKVILLE – No. 11 Mississippi State has outscored its opponents 35-0 and have yet to drop a set while posting five-straight shutouts to start the 2025 season.
The latest additions to the Bulldogs' growing résumé came in consecutive 7-0 shutouts in a sweep of Troy and Alabama State inside the Rula Tennis Pavilion on Sunday.
"This gives us a lot of confidence for the future," said sophomore Radomir Tomic. "From now on, we're going to have tougher and tougher matches, so these matches were really good. We fought really well on all six courts and all six guys. Whenever I played, I felt good energy from everyone and support. All 10 guys on this team are really good. We are playing on such a good level now and I think we are ready for the rest of the season."
MSU established itself early on during doubles in its opener against the Trojans (1-3). Dusan Milanovic and Michal Novansky struck first with a 6-1 triumph against Luciano Alcocer and Hiiro Sakamoto before No. 20 Niccolo Baroni and Mario Martinez Serrano secured the doubles point by defeating Yeray Andres Pastor and Thiago Drozdowski 6-1.
The win held special significance for Martinez Serrano, a junior who spent his first two seasons at Troy where he posted a 60-11 singles record (44-5 dual) and earned back-to-back first team All-Sun Belt honors.
Once singles started, Tomic made short work of Alcocer 6-1, 6-1 before No. 45 Petar Jovanovic downed Nicolas Simkin 6-2, 6-3. Novansky clinched things with his 6-2, 6-0 victory against Sakamoto but State was not done defeating the Trojans.
Roberto Ferrer Guimaraes kept the momentum going with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Henrique de Brito. Milanovic added a victory against Andres Pastor before Baroni, ranked 72nd in singles, completed the shutout with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Noah Martens.
It was more of the same when Mississippi State took the courts later in the afternoon against Alabama State (1-4).
In his first career doubles match, freshman Bryan Hernandez Cortes teamed with Ferrer Guimaraes and claimed a 6-3 victory against Gordan Fran Mileusni and Lun Obrul before ninth-ranked Jovanovic and Benito Sanchez Martinez earned the point following their 6-3 win over Matis Amier and Alexandre Verlaguet.
Novansky earned his second singles triumph of the day by topping Obrul in consecutive 6-3 sets. Martinez Serrano, ranked 81st in singles, followed suit with a 6-2, 6-2 win versus Verlaguet before Ferrer Guimaraes clinched the match with his 6-4, 6-3 victory over Amier.
No. 103 Sanchez Martinez kept it going by garnering a 6-4, 6-1 win against David Jeanne Grandinot. Hernandez Cortes continued the onslaught with a 6-3, 6-4 showing taking on Matteo Lataste before Tomic capped the sweep with a 6-0, 7-5 victory over Eloi Roux.
Mississippi State has five matches of experience under its belt to help build towards the next tasks on the schedule. MSU is set to host ITA Kickoff Weekend for the third time in the last four years beginning on Saturday with No. 22 NC State, LSU and Pepperdine coming to town.
Mississippi State will start the two-day tournament against the fourth-seeded Waves on Saturday at 10 a.m. before the Wolfpack and Tigers battle at 1 p.m.
The two winners will square off on Sunday for a shot to advance to the ITA National Indoor Championships in Texas next month.
"We've hosted ITA Kickoff a few times," said associate head coach Jake Jacoby. "I think our guys are really motivated from last year where we got to host, but it wasn't the best weekend we've had. We used it last year as a great steppingstone and learning opportunity for us to fuel what the rest of our season became. I think we're still looking back at that and hungry for this year and it's shown out of the gate."
No. 11 Mississippi State 7, Troy 0
Rula Tennis Pavilion | Starkville, Miss.
Jan. 19, 2025
Doubles
1. No. 9 Petar Jovanovic/Benito Sanchez Martinez (MSU) vs. Henrique de Brito/Noah Martens (TROY) 5-1, unfinished
2. No. 20 Niccolo Baroni/Mario Martinez Serrano (MSU) def. Yeray Andres Pastor/Thiago Drozdowski (TROY) 6-1
3. Dusan Milanovic/Michal Novansky (MSU) def. Luciano Alcocer/Hiiro Sakamoto (TROY) 6-1
Order of finish: (3,2)
Singles
1. No. 45 Petar Jovanovic (MSU) def. Nicolas Simkin (TROY) 6-2, 6-3
2. Dusan Milanovic (MSU) def. Yeray Andres Pastor (TROY) 6-3, 6-3
3. No. 72 Niccolo Baroni (MSU) def. Noah Martens (TROY) 6-3, 6-2
4. Roberto Ferrer Guimaraes (MSU) def. Henrique de Brito (TROY) 6-2, 6-2
5. Michal Novansky (MSU) def. Hiiro Sakamoto (TROY) 6-2, 6-0
6. Radomir Tomic (MSU) def. Luciano Alcocer (TROY) 6-1, 6-1
Order of finish: (6,1,5,4,2,3)
No. 11 Mississippi State 7, Alabama State 0
Rula Tennis Pavilion | Starkville, Miss.
Jan. 19, 2025
Doubles
1. No. 9 Petar Jovanovic/Benito Sanchez Martinez (MSU) def. Matis Amier/Alexandre Verlaguet (ASU) 6-3
2. No. 20 Niccolo Baroni/Mario Martinez Serrano (MSU) vs. David Jeanne Grandinot/Matteo Lataste (ASU) 4-5, unfinished
3. Roberto Ferrer Guimaraes/Bryan Hernandez Cortes (MSU) def. Gordan Fran Mileusni/Lun Obrul (ASU) 6-3
Order of finish: (3,1)
Singles
1. No. 103 Benito Sanchez Martinez (MSU) def. David Jeanne Grandinot (ASU) 6-4, 6-1
2. No. 81 Mario Martinez Serrano (MSU) def. Alexandre Verlaguet (ASU) 6-2, 6-2
3. Roberto Ferrer Guimaraes (MSU) def. Matis Amier (ASU) 6-4, 6-3
4. Michal Novansky (MSU) def. Lun Obrul (ASU) 6-3, 6-3
5. Radomir Tomic (MSU) def. Eloi Roux (ASU) 6-0, 7-5
6. Bryan Hernandez Cortes (MSU) def. Matteo Lataste (ASU) 6-3, 6-4
Order of finish: (4,2,3,1,6,5)
For more information on the Bulldog men's tennis program, visit HailState.com or search for "HailStateMT" on X, Instagram and Facebook.
The latest additions to the Bulldogs' growing résumé came in consecutive 7-0 shutouts in a sweep of Troy and Alabama State inside the Rula Tennis Pavilion on Sunday.
"This gives us a lot of confidence for the future," said sophomore Radomir Tomic. "From now on, we're going to have tougher and tougher matches, so these matches were really good. We fought really well on all six courts and all six guys. Whenever I played, I felt good energy from everyone and support. All 10 guys on this team are really good. We are playing on such a good level now and I think we are ready for the rest of the season."
MSU established itself early on during doubles in its opener against the Trojans (1-3). Dusan Milanovic and Michal Novansky struck first with a 6-1 triumph against Luciano Alcocer and Hiiro Sakamoto before No. 20 Niccolo Baroni and Mario Martinez Serrano secured the doubles point by defeating Yeray Andres Pastor and Thiago Drozdowski 6-1.
The win held special significance for Martinez Serrano, a junior who spent his first two seasons at Troy where he posted a 60-11 singles record (44-5 dual) and earned back-to-back first team All-Sun Belt honors.
Once singles started, Tomic made short work of Alcocer 6-1, 6-1 before No. 45 Petar Jovanovic downed Nicolas Simkin 6-2, 6-3. Novansky clinched things with his 6-2, 6-0 victory against Sakamoto but State was not done defeating the Trojans.
Roberto Ferrer Guimaraes kept the momentum going with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Henrique de Brito. Milanovic added a victory against Andres Pastor before Baroni, ranked 72nd in singles, completed the shutout with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Noah Martens.
It was more of the same when Mississippi State took the courts later in the afternoon against Alabama State (1-4).
In his first career doubles match, freshman Bryan Hernandez Cortes teamed with Ferrer Guimaraes and claimed a 6-3 victory against Gordan Fran Mileusni and Lun Obrul before ninth-ranked Jovanovic and Benito Sanchez Martinez earned the point following their 6-3 win over Matis Amier and Alexandre Verlaguet.
Novansky earned his second singles triumph of the day by topping Obrul in consecutive 6-3 sets. Martinez Serrano, ranked 81st in singles, followed suit with a 6-2, 6-2 win versus Verlaguet before Ferrer Guimaraes clinched the match with his 6-4, 6-3 victory over Amier.
No. 103 Sanchez Martinez kept it going by garnering a 6-4, 6-1 win against David Jeanne Grandinot. Hernandez Cortes continued the onslaught with a 6-3, 6-4 showing taking on Matteo Lataste before Tomic capped the sweep with a 6-0, 7-5 victory over Eloi Roux.
Mississippi State has five matches of experience under its belt to help build towards the next tasks on the schedule. MSU is set to host ITA Kickoff Weekend for the third time in the last four years beginning on Saturday with No. 22 NC State, LSU and Pepperdine coming to town.
Mississippi State will start the two-day tournament against the fourth-seeded Waves on Saturday at 10 a.m. before the Wolfpack and Tigers battle at 1 p.m.
The two winners will square off on Sunday for a shot to advance to the ITA National Indoor Championships in Texas next month.
"We've hosted ITA Kickoff a few times," said associate head coach Jake Jacoby. "I think our guys are really motivated from last year where we got to host, but it wasn't the best weekend we've had. We used it last year as a great steppingstone and learning opportunity for us to fuel what the rest of our season became. I think we're still looking back at that and hungry for this year and it's shown out of the gate."
No. 11 Mississippi State 7, Troy 0
Rula Tennis Pavilion | Starkville, Miss.
Jan. 19, 2025
Doubles
1. No. 9 Petar Jovanovic/Benito Sanchez Martinez (MSU) vs. Henrique de Brito/Noah Martens (TROY) 5-1, unfinished
2. No. 20 Niccolo Baroni/Mario Martinez Serrano (MSU) def. Yeray Andres Pastor/Thiago Drozdowski (TROY) 6-1
3. Dusan Milanovic/Michal Novansky (MSU) def. Luciano Alcocer/Hiiro Sakamoto (TROY) 6-1
Order of finish: (3,2)
Singles
1. No. 45 Petar Jovanovic (MSU) def. Nicolas Simkin (TROY) 6-2, 6-3
2. Dusan Milanovic (MSU) def. Yeray Andres Pastor (TROY) 6-3, 6-3
3. No. 72 Niccolo Baroni (MSU) def. Noah Martens (TROY) 6-3, 6-2
4. Roberto Ferrer Guimaraes (MSU) def. Henrique de Brito (TROY) 6-2, 6-2
5. Michal Novansky (MSU) def. Hiiro Sakamoto (TROY) 6-2, 6-0
6. Radomir Tomic (MSU) def. Luciano Alcocer (TROY) 6-1, 6-1
Order of finish: (6,1,5,4,2,3)
No. 11 Mississippi State 7, Alabama State 0
Rula Tennis Pavilion | Starkville, Miss.
Jan. 19, 2025
Doubles
1. No. 9 Petar Jovanovic/Benito Sanchez Martinez (MSU) def. Matis Amier/Alexandre Verlaguet (ASU) 6-3
2. No. 20 Niccolo Baroni/Mario Martinez Serrano (MSU) vs. David Jeanne Grandinot/Matteo Lataste (ASU) 4-5, unfinished
3. Roberto Ferrer Guimaraes/Bryan Hernandez Cortes (MSU) def. Gordan Fran Mileusni/Lun Obrul (ASU) 6-3
Order of finish: (3,1)
Singles
1. No. 103 Benito Sanchez Martinez (MSU) def. David Jeanne Grandinot (ASU) 6-4, 6-1
2. No. 81 Mario Martinez Serrano (MSU) def. Alexandre Verlaguet (ASU) 6-2, 6-2
3. Roberto Ferrer Guimaraes (MSU) def. Matis Amier (ASU) 6-4, 6-3
4. Michal Novansky (MSU) def. Lun Obrul (ASU) 6-3, 6-3
5. Radomir Tomic (MSU) def. Eloi Roux (ASU) 6-0, 7-5
6. Bryan Hernandez Cortes (MSU) def. Matteo Lataste (ASU) 6-3, 6-4
Order of finish: (4,2,3,1,6,5)
For more information on the Bulldog men's tennis program, visit HailState.com or search for "HailStateMT" on X, Instagram and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Tennis
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