Michigan
Michigan State
Cooksey Upsets No. 12 Baris, but Wolverines Fall at MSU
4/19/2025 4:20:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Site: East Lansing, Mich. (MSU Indoor Tennis Center)
Score: Michigan State 4, #25 Michigan 2
Records: U-M (14-11, 8-5 B1G), MSU (15-8, 10-3 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Friday, April 25 -- at Big Ten Tournament (Columbus, Ohio)
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Senior Will Cooksey knocked off No. 12 ranked Ozan Baris in straight sets, the highest-ranked opponent he has defeated in his career, to highlight the afternoon for the University of Michigan men's team in a 4-2 loss at Michigan State in the regular-season finale at the MSU Indoor Tennis Center.
No. 85-ranked Cooksey took back-to-back 7-5 matches off Baris, his second ranked win of the season. It was redemption for Cooksey, who dropped a two-match set to Baris in October at the ITA Midwest Regional Championships.
The Spartans won the doubles point as the Wolverines continued to play without their top two players. Alex Cairo and Nicholas Steiglehner lost 6-2 at No. 3 in their first dual match as a pair, while Cooksey and Patorn Hanchaikul fell 6-3 at No. 1 in their first match as a duo since mid-March. Michigan's pair of Bjorn Swenson and Mert Oral, who are 3-0 in the Big Ten, were knotted at 5-5 at No. 2 when the match was abandoned.
Steiglehner put Michigan on the board at No. 4 singles, with matching 6-2 sets over Vuk Radjenovic.
MSU grabbed wins at Nos. 5 and 3 to regain the team lead, 3-1. Oral lost Mitchell Sheldon in the first match of his career at No. 5 singles before Hanchaikul lost at No. 3 to No. 92 Matthew Forbes, both by 6-4, 6-2 scores.
Cooksey's win at No. 1 followed. Swenson, riding a six-match singles win streak, had forced a third set with No. 107-ranked Max Sheldon, but the Spartans clinched before it was decided with a win on court six.
The loss halts Michigan's 23-match win streak in the series that had dated back to 2005.
Up next, the Wolverines will compete in the Big Ten Tournament, which begins Thursday (April 24) in Columbus, Ohio. The Wolverines' first opponent will be determined after Sunday's matches.
Following are match-by-match results
Singles
No. 1 – No. 85 Will Cooksey (U-M) d. No. 12 Ozan Baris (Michigan State), 7-5, 7-5
No. 2 – Bjorn Swenson (U-M) vs. No. 107 Max Sheldon (Michigan State), 2-6, 6-3, 1-4 abandoned
No. 3 – No. 92 Matthew Forbes (Michigan State) d. Patorn Hanchaikul (U-M), 6-4, 6-2
No. 4 – Nicholas Steiglehner (U-M), d. Vuk Radjenovic (Michigan State), 6-2, 6-2
No. 5 – Mitchell Sheldon (Michigan State) vs. Mert Oral (U-M), 6-4, 6-2
No. 6 – Danial Rakhmatullayev (Michigan State) d. Alex Cairo (U-M) 7-6 (5), 6-3
Doubles
No. 1 – Ozan Baris/Matthew Forbes (Michigan State) d. Will Cooksey/Patorn Hanchaikul (U-M), 6-3
No. 2 – Danial Rakhmatullayev/Vuk Radjenovic (Michigan State) vs.Bjorn Swenson/Mert Oral (U-M), 5-5 abandoned
No. 3 – Mitchell Sheldon/Max Sheldon (Michigan State) d. Alex Cairo/Nicholas Steiglehner (U-M), 6-2
Order of Completion: Doubles 3-1, Singles 4-5-3-1-6
Players Mentioned
