Michigan State men’s tennis wins first Big Ten title since 1967

Michigan State tennis was looking to lock up the Big Ten Championship Sunday afternoon in East Lansing. When Purdue took the doubles point, though, the building tightened a bit. The margin for error had almost disappeared; but then the Spartans did what they have done throughout Big Ten play this season – they answered.

Michigan State won four straight singles matches to defeat Purdue, 4-1, at the MSU Indoor Tennis Center, clinching a share of the Big Ten regular-season championship and delivering the program’s first conference title since 1967.

Photo credit: Marvin Hall/Spartans Illustrated

The No. 23 Spartans finish 11-1 in league play, tied with Ohio State at the top of the standings.

The clinching moment itself belonged to Ozan Baris.

With teammates gathered nearby and the outcome within reach, the Okemos native closed out a 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 win over Purdue’s Maj Premzl at No. 3 singles, securing both the team victory and the championship. Within seconds, he was surrounded by his teammates.

“I don't know, words can't really describe it,” Baris said afterwards. “This was something that I had set out to do about four years ago, when I was coming here, and now being able to do it in my senior year, being the match that clinches… it’s just a pinch me, ‘is this happening kind of moment?’”

Photo credit: Marvin Hall/Spartans Illustrated

It was a fitting finish on a day built around the program’s senior class. Between doubles and singles, Michigan State honored Baris, Aristotelis Thanos and David Saye – three players who have been central to one of the most successful stretches in program history. By the end of the afternoon, they had added a Big Ten championship to a list that already included conference honors, national recognition and multiple program milestones.

In doubles competition, Michigan State opened with a win at No. 2, as Baris and Matthew Forbes defeated Nour Fathalla and Stefan Simeunovic, 6-3.

Photo credit: Marvin Hall/Spartans Illustrated

Purdue, however, claimed the other two courts, taking 6-4 decisions at both No. 1 and No. 3 doubles to secure the opening point.

From there, the Spartans wouldn't be stopped.

Taym Alazmeh evened the score with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Jacob Lee at No. 5 singles, and Mitchell Sheldon followed with a 6-4, 6-3 victory against Nikola Jovic at No. 6 to give Michigan State the lead. Thanos extended it at No. 2, defeating Henrik Villanger, 6-4, 6-2.

That sequence set the stage for Baris, who controlled the tiebreak in the opening set before separating in the second to finish it.

Photo credit: Marvin Hall/Spartans Illustrated

“We had a rough start to the season, and we've all shown up together individually, at different times, and that's what great teams do," Baris said. "When one person is off their game, when one person is injured, the others bring them up. And we've been able to do that throughout the whole regular season, and that's why we were able to win the regular season title as well.”

Head coach Harry Jadun pointed to that same response after the match, particularly in the way the team handled the early deficit.

Photo credit: Marvin Hall/Spartans Illustrated

“I think their resilience and their toughness, I mean, you saw it today after the doubles point went down, and they just dug in,” Jadun said. “I just think that that's been the mantra of our team, and these seniors have been the leaders of that. We had a rough start to non-conference play at the start of the season, and they decided to stick around and hang out and fight and battle, and some good things happened here. So it's just a testament to them.”

Two matches went unfinished. At No. 1 singles, Forbes dropped the first set 6-1, won the second 6-4 and trailed 2-1 in the third when play stopped. At No. 4, Danial Rakhmatullayev split sets, 7-5, 3-6, and was even in the third before his match was halted.

The larger result, though, was already decided.

Thanos, a two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection who has also competed in the NCAA Singles Championships and represented Greece in Davis Cup play, delivered another steady point in the middle of the lineup.

Photo credit: Marvin Hall/Spartans Illustrated

Saye, a Big Ten Fall Individual champion in both singles and doubles during his career, has been part of the depth that allowed Michigan State to withstand lineup shifts and match pressure.

Baris, meanwhile, leaves as one of the most decorated players the program has produced, with three ITA All-America honors, multiple first-team All-Big Ten selections and consecutive deep runs at the NCAA Singles Championships, including an appearance in the national championship match in 2025.

Together, that group helped position Michigan State to grab a championship that had stayed out of reach for nearly 60 years.

Four years ago, Charitable Gift America (CGA) worked with the incoming men's tennis players to help them monetize their name, image, and likeness under the new NCAA rules.

"(Coach Judan) had the desire and skill to win at the highest level," said Dr. Tom Dieters, Board President of CGA. "He undoubtedly knew what it takes to win, and had that fight in him. Recognizing that, Charitable Gift America provided the NIL resources to build the roster. (This) combination ... has led to a (Big Ten) championship!"

Photo credit: Marvin Hall/Spartans Illustrated

The Spartans now head to Ojai, California, for the Big Ten Tournament, which begins Wednesday at Libbey Park. The bracket will be announced later.

For now, the regular season ends with Michigan State exactly where it hasn’t been in decades – at the top of the conference.