STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State’s men’s tennis team has advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight after defeating Georgia 4-1 in the Super Regional Saturday at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre.
The Bulldogs, ranked No. 6 nationally, secured the victory by winning the doubles point and then taking four singles matches. They improved to 25-5 overall and 11-3 in Southeastern Conference play.
Mississippi State jumped out to a strong start by capturing the doubles point for the third straight NCAA Tournament match. Bryan Hernandez Cortes and Petar Jovanovic won on Court 3, while Mario Martinez Serrano and Niccolo Baroni clinched on Court 2. Georgia responded with a win on Court 1 but the Bulldogs maintained momentum.
In singles action, Hernandez Cortes extended his 12-match winning streak with a dominant win on Court 6. Benito Sanchez Martinez secured the clinching point after rallying from a first-set deficit to beat No. 50 Arda Azkara in a three-set match. The victory sends Mississippi State to Athens, Georgia, for the NCAA Championship Final Site, where they will face Virginia.
This marks the second consecutive season the Bulldogs have reached the Elite Eight. The team finished the match with four players earning wins, including Sanchez Martinez, Jovanovic, and Raphael Vaksmann. Several seniors, including Sanchez Martinez and others, played their final home match at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre.
Mississippi State improved to 41-30 all-time in NCAA Tournament play and tied its all-time wins record. The Bulldogs now prepare for their upcoming match against Virginia on May 14 at the NCAA Final Site.
