Johnson, Bruins Outlast USC in Exciting Finish

Friday, March 13

Los Angeles, Calif.

3:00 PM (PT)

UCLA

USC

Spencer Johnson (right)

Photo by: Alicia Helmstetter

Johnson, Bruins Outlast USC in Exciting Finish

March 13, 2026 | Men's Tennis

Box Score

LOS ANGELES – Behind the heroics of Spencer Johnson, the UCLA men's tennis team outlasted crosstown rival and 25th-ranked USC 4-1 in Big Ten Conference play Friday at Los Angeles Tennis Center. Johnson earned his victory by way of a third-set tiebreaker with the remaining two matches also in third sets.

Johnson defeated Branko Djuric 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(6) for the deciding point, completing a two-win day. The junior from Ladera Ranch, Calif. reached 100 career victories (singles and doubles) with his doubles result. Also triumphant in singles play for the Bruins (9-3, 3-0 Big Ten) were Andy Nguyen and Aadarsh Tripathi. Nathan Trouve of the Trojans (10-4, 2-1) won to momentarily cut the UCLA lead in half.

Johnson/Tripathi raced out to a 4-1 lead against Andrin Casanova/Jack McCarthy on Court 1, setting the tone in doubles play. The Bruin pair never looked back en route to a 6-3 victory. With the third-court matchup locked in a back-and-forth affair, Gianluca Ballotta and Emon van Loben Sels teamed to supply the clincher. Ballotta/van Loben Sels took down Djuric/Connor Church 6-4 for its third deciding win of the season.

Each side collected three first sets. Just one match would finish in two, with Nguyen getting it done on Court 4. His second victory in as many tries and third in four came via a 7-5, 6-3 result over Casanova.

USC got on the scoreboard with Trouve's 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 showing versus No. 104 Quan on Court 2. UCLA got a response from Tripathi on Court 5, where the senior closed strong to complete his two-win day. His third consecutive singles victory was a 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 decision over McCarthy.

No. 57 Johnson and Djuric traded holds on the way to their third-set tiebreaker. Once there, Djuric maneuvered his way to two match points at 6-4. With this transpiring, No. 35 van Loben Sels and Max Exsted alternated best shots on Court 3 and the Trojans' Connor Church built a 5-2, third-set lead on Court 6. Johnson ensured those results would not be needed, though, taking the final four points to prevail.

The Bruins return to action Friday, March 20 with a home match against Wisconsin. First serve from LATC is scheduled for 2 p.m. PT.

Tennis Match Results
USC vs UCLA
3/13/2026 at Los Angeles, CA
(Los Angeles Tennis Center)

#26 UCLA 4, #25 USC 1

Singles competition
1. #57 Spencer Johnson (UCLA) def. Branko Djuric (USC) 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (8-6)
2. Nathan Trouve (USC) def. #104 Rudy Quan (UCLA) 2-6, 6-4, 6-3
3. #35 Emon van Loben Sels (UCLA) vs. Max Exsted (USC) 5-7, 7-5, 5-4, unfinished
4. Andy Nguyen (UCLA) def. Andrin Casanova (USC) 7-5, 6-3
5. Aadarsh Tripathi (UCLA) def. Jack McCarthy (USC) 3-6, 6-4, 6-1
6. Cassius Chinlund (UCLA) vs. Connor Church (USC) 7-6 (7-4), 2-6, 2-5, unfinished

Doubles competition
1. Spencer Johnson/Aadarsh Tripathi (UCLA) def. Andrin Casanova/Jack McCarthy (USC) 6-3
2. Gianluca Ballotta/Emon van Loben Sels (UCLA) def. Connor Church/Branko Djuric (USC) 6-4
3. Rudy Quan/Bengt Reinhard (UCLA) vs. Max Exsted/Nathan Trouve (USC) 6-5, unfinished

Match Notes:
USC 10-4; National ranking #25
UCLA 9-3; National ranking #26
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (4,2,5,1)