University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Sunday, March 29
East Lansing, Mich.
9:00 AM (PT)
UCLA
2
at
4
Michigan State
Emon van Loben Sels
Photo by: Aaron Fang
Men's Tennis Falls to Michigan State in Battle of Big Ten Unbeatens
March 29, 2026 | Men's Tennis
EAST LANSING, Mich. โ The 20th-ranked UCLA men's tennis team suffered a 4-2 loss to No. 28 Michigan State Sunday on the outdoor courts at MSU Tennis Center. Both teams entered play undefeated in Big Ten Conference matches.
Aristotelis Thanos prevailed in clinching fashion for the Spartans (11-7, 8-0 Big Ten), who collected the doubles point and also received singles wins from Danial Rakhmatullayev and Mitchell Sheldon. The Bruins (12-4, 6-1) momentarily pulled the score level after victories by Cassius Chinlund and Emon van Loben Sels.
MSU's third-court tandem of Ozan Baris/Matthew Forbes beat Rudy Quan/Bengt Reinhard 6-2 to begin doubles play. No. 32 van Loben Sels/Spencer Johnson responded by taking down No. 18 Rakhmatullayev/Taym Alazmeh by a 6-4 margin up top. The initial point was ultimately decided in a tiebreaker, as No. 30 Sheldon/Thanos edged Andy Nguyen/Aadarsh Tripathi 7-6(4).
Sheldon kicked off singles play by dealing Reinhard a 6-2, 6-2 defeat on Court 6. UCLA pushed back, however, starting with No. 33 van Loben Sels posting the best ranked win of his career. The redshirt junior bested No. 11 Forbes 6-2, 6-2, improving to 6-3 on the year against nationally-ranked players.
Chinlund earned his sixth consecutive singles victory, topping Alazmeh 6-4, 6-2 on Court 5. Chinlund is 11-2 in dual singles competition and 15-3 dating back to the fall.
Rakhmatullayev placed the Spartans back in front with a 6-4, 6-1 showing versus Tripathi on Court 4. No. 50 Thanos then completed his comeback opposite No. 66 Johnson, sealing the fourth point with a 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 display.
The Bruins return home to face Ohio State, No. 5 in the current ITA rankings, on Friday, April 3. First serve is scheduled for 4 p.m. PT. The match is part of a doubleheader with UCLA women's tennis, which meets Oregon at 12 p.m.
Tennis Match Results
UCLA vs Michigan State
3/29/2026 at East Lansing, MI
(MSU Tennis Center)
#28 Michigan State 4, #20 UCLA 2
Singles competition
1. #50 Aristotelis Thanos (MSU) def. #66 Spencer Johnson (UCLA) 1-6, 6-2, 6-2
2. #33 Emon van Loben Sels (UCLA) def. #11 Matthew Forbes (MSU) 6-2, 6-2
3. #36 Ozan Baris (MSU) vs. Andy Nguyen (UCLA) 6-3, 6-5, unfinished
4. Danial Rakhmatullayev (MSU) def. Aadarsh Tripathi (UCLA) 6-4, 6-1
5. Cassius Chinlund (UCLA) def. Taym Alazmeh (MSU) 6-4, 6-2
6. Mitchell Sheldon (MSU) def. Bengt Reinhard (UCLA) 6-2, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. #32 Spencer Johnson/Emon van Loben Sels (UCLA) def. #18 Taym Alazmeh/Danial Rakhmatullayev (MSU) 6-4
2. #30 Mitchell Sheldon/Aristotelis Thanos (MSU) def. Andy Nguyen/Aadarsh Tripathi (UCLA) 7-6 (7-4)
3. Ozan Baris/Matthew Forbes (MSU) def. Rudy Quan/Bengt Reinhard (UCLA) 6-2
Match Notes:
UCLA 12-4; National ranking #20
Michigan State 11-7; National ranking #28
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (6,2,5,4,1)
Aristotelis Thanos prevailed in clinching fashion for the Spartans (11-7, 8-0 Big Ten), who collected the doubles point and also received singles wins from Danial Rakhmatullayev and Mitchell Sheldon. The Bruins (12-4, 6-1) momentarily pulled the score level after victories by Cassius Chinlund and Emon van Loben Sels.
MSU's third-court tandem of Ozan Baris/Matthew Forbes beat Rudy Quan/Bengt Reinhard 6-2 to begin doubles play. No. 32 van Loben Sels/Spencer Johnson responded by taking down No. 18 Rakhmatullayev/Taym Alazmeh by a 6-4 margin up top. The initial point was ultimately decided in a tiebreaker, as No. 30 Sheldon/Thanos edged Andy Nguyen/Aadarsh Tripathi 7-6(4).
Sheldon kicked off singles play by dealing Reinhard a 6-2, 6-2 defeat on Court 6. UCLA pushed back, however, starting with No. 33 van Loben Sels posting the best ranked win of his career. The redshirt junior bested No. 11 Forbes 6-2, 6-2, improving to 6-3 on the year against nationally-ranked players.
Chinlund earned his sixth consecutive singles victory, topping Alazmeh 6-4, 6-2 on Court 5. Chinlund is 11-2 in dual singles competition and 15-3 dating back to the fall.
Rakhmatullayev placed the Spartans back in front with a 6-4, 6-1 showing versus Tripathi on Court 4. No. 50 Thanos then completed his comeback opposite No. 66 Johnson, sealing the fourth point with a 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 display.
The Bruins return home to face Ohio State, No. 5 in the current ITA rankings, on Friday, April 3. First serve is scheduled for 4 p.m. PT. The match is part of a doubleheader with UCLA women's tennis, which meets Oregon at 12 p.m.
Tennis Match Results
UCLA vs Michigan State
3/29/2026 at East Lansing, MI
(MSU Tennis Center)
#28 Michigan State 4, #20 UCLA 2
Singles competition
1. #50 Aristotelis Thanos (MSU) def. #66 Spencer Johnson (UCLA) 1-6, 6-2, 6-2
2. #33 Emon van Loben Sels (UCLA) def. #11 Matthew Forbes (MSU) 6-2, 6-2
3. #36 Ozan Baris (MSU) vs. Andy Nguyen (UCLA) 6-3, 6-5, unfinished
4. Danial Rakhmatullayev (MSU) def. Aadarsh Tripathi (UCLA) 6-4, 6-1
5. Cassius Chinlund (UCLA) def. Taym Alazmeh (MSU) 6-4, 6-2
6. Mitchell Sheldon (MSU) def. Bengt Reinhard (UCLA) 6-2, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. #32 Spencer Johnson/Emon van Loben Sels (UCLA) def. #18 Taym Alazmeh/Danial Rakhmatullayev (MSU) 6-4
2. #30 Mitchell Sheldon/Aristotelis Thanos (MSU) def. Andy Nguyen/Aadarsh Tripathi (UCLA) 7-6 (7-4)
3. Ozan Baris/Matthew Forbes (MSU) def. Rudy Quan/Bengt Reinhard (UCLA) 6-2
Match Notes:
UCLA 12-4; National ranking #20
Michigan State 11-7; National ranking #28
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (6,2,5,4,1)
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
1
6
Taym Alazmeh/ D. Rakhmatullayev (18/-) [MSU]
4
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,1,2
#1 Singles Match
123
622
Aristotelis Thanos / 0 (50/-) [MSU]
166
#2 Singles Match
12
66
Matthew Forbes / 0 (11/-) [MSU]
22
#3 Singles Match
123
350
Ozan Baris / 0 (36/-) [MSU]
66UF
#4 Singles Match
12
41
D. Rakhmatullayev / 0 [MSU]
66
#5 Singles Match
12
66
Taym Alazmeh / 0 [MSU]
42
#6 Singles Match
12
22
Mitchell Sheldon / 0 [MSU]
66
Order of Finish:
6,2,5,4,1
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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