Michigan
Wisconsin
Michigan Drops Big Ten Opener to Wisconsin
3/6/2026 9:22:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Varsity Tennis Center)
Score: Wisconsin 4, Michigan 0
Records: U-M (4-5, 0-1 B1G), WIS (10-1, 1-0 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, March 8 -- vs. Nebraska (Varsity Tennis Center), Noon
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's tennis team had a fell to Wisconsin 4-0 on Friday (March 6) in its Big Ten opener at the Varsity Tennis Center, snapping a three-match win streak.
The Badgers entered the weekend on an eight-match win streak and took their first win against Michigan (4-5, 0-1 Big Ten) since 2009. Playing without their top player, Max Dahlin, forced several Wolverines to play up a position in singles and resulted in brand-new doubles pairings.
Freshmen Arnav Bhandari and Pierce Shaya fell 6-0 to the duo of Patrick Mezaros and Matthew Fullerton at No. 3 doubles, before senior Mert Oral and junior Alex Cairo lost 6-4 to Michael Minasyan and Ferdinand Kloesters at No. 2 to give Wisconsin (10-1, 1-0 Big Ten) the doubles point.
Cairo, who was making his season debut, retired at No. 4 singles after the first set, putting the Badgers up 2-0.
Senior Nicholas Steiglehner and Shaya both put up valiant efforts, pushing second sets at No. 2 and No. 5, respectively, to tiebreakers, but both came up short as Wisconsin picked up the final two points it needed to take the match.
Michigan returns to the Varsity Tennis Center on Sunday (March 8) to host Nebraska. Match time is set for noon.
Following are match-by-match results
Singles
No. 1 – Bjorn Swenson (U-M) d. Michael Minasyan (Wisconsin), 7-5, 6-6 abandoned
No. 2 – Patrik Meszaros (Wisconsin) d. Nicholas Steiglehner (U-M), 7-5, 7-6 (1)
No. 3 – Edouard Aubert (Wisconsin) d. Mert Oral (U-M), 6-2, 4-6, 0-2 abandoned
No. 4 – Ferdinand Kloesters (Wisconsin) d. Alex Cairo (U-M), 6-3 retired
No. 5 – Tomas Zlatohlavek (Wisconsin) d. Pierce Shaya (U-M), 6-2, 7-6 (5)
No. 6 – Matthew Fullerton (Wisconsin) d. Arnav Bhandari (U-M), 7-6 (1), 2-6, abandoned
Doubles
No. 1 – Bjorn Swenson/Nicholas Steiglehner (U-M) vs. Oliver Olsson/Tomas Zlatohlavek (Wisconsin), 5-5 abandoned
No. 2 – Michael Minasyan/Ferdinand Kloesters (Wisconsin) d. Mert Oral/Alex Cairo (U-M), 6-3
No. 3 – Patrik Meszaros/Matthew Fullerton (Wisconsin) d. Arnav Bhandari/Pierce Shaya (U-M), 6-0
Order of Completion: Doubles 3-2, Singles 4-5-1
Players Mentioned
