State Opens Home Slate with Win to Advance to ITA Kickoff Weekend Championship

Friday, January 23

Starkville

6 p.m.

Mississippi State

Santa Clara

Photo by: Ivy Ball/MSU Athletics

State Opens Home Slate with Win to Advance to ITA Kickoff Weekend Championship

January 23, 2026 | Men's Tennis

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Tad Couch, Athletic Communications Student Intern

STARKVILLE – No. 7 Mississippi State dropped the doubles point for the third straight match, but a dominant singles performance propelled the Bulldogs to their fifth consecutive victory and a spot in the ITA Kickoff Weekend championship match against Auburn at 11 a.m. CT.

Mississippi State struck first in doubles as Michal Novansky and Bryan Hernandez Cortes cruised to a 6-0 win on Court 3, earning their third victory of the season.

Santa Clara responded on Court 2, where Tiago Boschmans and Luca Lemaitre held off Mario Martinez Serrano and Niccolò Baroni, 6-3. The doubles point came down to Court 1, where Petar Jovanovic and Benito Sanchez Martinez fell to Luca Bluett and John Kim, handing the Broncos the early edge.

The Bulldogs wasted no time flipping the momentum in singles play. Freshman No. 125 Raphael Vaksmann evened the match with a commanding 6-1, 6-0 victory over Valentin Faure. Moments later, No. 37 Mario Martinez Serrano continued the surge, rolling past Lukas Maskow 6-0, 6-2 to give State its first lead.

Niccolo Baroni extended the advantage on Court 4, dispatching John Kim 6-2, 6-1 to move Mississippi State within one point of clinching. The match was sealed on Court 1, where No. 54 Benito Sanchez Martinez earned a 6-4, 6-1 win over Alex Watanabe Eriksson to secure the victory for the Bulldogs.

Records
No. 7 Mississippi State (5-0, 0-0 SEC)
Santa Clara (2-1, 0-0 WCC)
Match Notes
•  Mississippi State swept singles for the second match in a row.
• Head Coach Matt Roberts secured his 217th career win as head coach of the Bulldogs. He is now second all-time and just four away from hold the record for most career wins all time.
• Benito Sanchez Martinez picked up his third straight singles dual win and his third clinch of the season.
• Freshman Raphael Vaksmann remains unbeaten in dual matches to start his collegiate career, winning the past four matches.

Up Next
No. 7 Mississippi State faces Auburn in the ITA Kickoff Weekend championship match on Saturday, January 24.

Match Results
Doubles
1. Luca Bluett and John Kim (SC) def. #2 Petar Jovanovic and Benito Sanchez Martinez (MSU) – 6-4*
2. Tiago Boschmans and Luca Lemaitre (SC) def. Niccolo Baroni and Mario Martinez Serrano (MSU) – 6-3
3. Bryan Hernandez Cortes and Michal Novansky (MSU) def. Valentin Faure and Ferran Redza – 6-0
Santa Clara won the Doubles Point
Order of Finish: 3,2,1*
Singles
1. #54 Benito Sanchez Martinez (MSU) def. Alex Wantanabe Eriksson (SC) – 6-4, 6-1*
2. #13 Petar Jovanovic (MSU) vs Luca Lemaitre (SC) – 5-7, 4-2, unf.
3. Niccolo Baroni (MSU) def. John Kim (SC) – 6-2, 6-1
4. #37 Mario Martinez Serrano (MSU) def. Lukas Maskow (SC) – 6-0, 6-2
5. #125 Raphael Vaksmann (MSU) (ILL) def. Valentin Faure (SC) – 6-1, 6-0
6. #34 Bryan Hernandez Cortes (MSU) vs Luca Bluett (SC) – 6-2, 5-6, unf.
Order of Finish: 5, 4, 3, 1*
* Clincher

For more Information on the Bulldog women's tennis program, visit Hailstate.com or search for "HailstateMT" on X, Instagram and Facebook.

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