Matt Roberts Breaks All-Time Win Record in Win Over Vanderbilt

Saturday, February 21

Starkville

12 p.m.

Mississippi State

Vanderbilt

Matt Roberts Breaks All-Time Win Record in Win Over Vanderbilt

February 21, 2026 | Men's Tennis

Box Score

By: Tad Couch, Athletic Communications Student Intern

STARKVILLE – No. 10 Mississippi State earned a 4-3 victory over No. 37 Vanderbilt on Saturday at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre, a result that carried historic significance for the Bulldogs' program.

With the win, head coach Matt Roberts became Mississippi State's all-time winningest head coach, adding another milestone to his tenure in Starkville.

Roberts who has guided the Bulldogs a NCAA Tournament appearance in every season at the helm, reached the mark in fitting fashion, with a hard-fought SEC victory in front of the home crowd. The win further cemented his legacy as one of the program's most successful leaders.

Mississippi State opened Southeastern Conference play with a victory for the fourth consecutive season, continuing its trend of fast starts in league action under Roberts' direction. The Bulldogs have now improved to 9-1 on the season, building momentum early in the 2026 campaign.

For the second straight match, the Bulldogs dropped the doubles point but responded with resilience in singles play. It also marked Mississippi State's second consecutive 4-3 win, highlighting the team's ability to deliver in high-pressure moments.

Bryan Hernandez Cortes got the Bulldogs on the board with a straight-set victory at No. 6. Benito Sanchez Martinez and Petar Jovanovic each battled through three-set wins at the top of the lineup, while Mario Martinez Serrano delivered a clutch comeback at No. 3, clinching the four hour long match.

Records
No. 10 Mississippi State (9-1, 1-0 SEC)
No. 37 Vanderbilt (8-3, 0-1 SEC)
• Head coach Matt Roberts became Mississippi State's all-time winningest head coach with the victory over Vanderbilt.
• Mississippi State opened SEC play with a win for the fourth consecutive season.
• Mississippi State earned its second straight 4-3 win and second consecutive comeback after dropping the doubles point.
• Benito Sanchez Martinez earned a three-set comeback win at No. 1 singles.
• Petar Jovanovic rallied for a three-set victory at No. 2 singles to keep the Bulldogs in the match.
• Mario Martinez Serrano battled to a three-set win at No. 3 in one of the day's longest matches.
• Bryan Hernandez Cortes clinched the match with a straight-set win at No. 6 singles.
• Martinez Serrano and Michal Novansky earned the Bulldogs' lone doubles win at the No. 2 position.
• The match lasted four hours and was played in front of a home crowd of 523 at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre.
Up Next
No. 10 Mississippi State takes on No. 3 Texas at 11:00 p.m. CT on February 23^rd at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre

Match Results
Doubles
1. Nathan Cox and Hoyoung Roh (VU) def. Petar Jovanovic and Benito Sanchez Martinez (MSU) – 1-6
2. Mario Martinez Serrano and Michal Novansky (MSU) def. Pablo Martinez Gomez and Danil Panarin (VU) – 6-3
3. Hugo Coquelin and Jack Shatterfield (VU) def. Bryan Hernandez Cortes and Raphael Vaksmann (MSU) – 4-6*
Vanderbilt won the Doubles Point
Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3*

Singles
1. Benito Sanchez Martinez (MSU) def. Hoyoung Roh (VU) – 1-6, 6-2, 6-2
2. Petar Jovanovic (MSU) def. Pablo Martinez Gomez (VU) – 2-6, 6-3, 6-3
3. Mario Martinez Serrano (MSU) def. Danil Panarin (VU) – 6-7(1-7), 7-6(7-3), 7-5
4. Nathan Cox (VU) def. Raphael Vaksmann (MSU) – 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
5. Jack Shatterfield (VU) def. Michal Novansky (MSU) – 7-6(8-6), 6-2
6. Bryan Hernandez Cortes (MSU) def. Hugo Coquelin (VU) – 6-3, 6-1*
Order of Finish: 6, 5, 1, 2, 4, 3*
*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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