Clemson men’s tennis stunned then-No. 16 ranked Michigan State 5-2 on Sunday as the Tigers extended their undefeated streak to five in a row. The season-defining victory was the Tigers’ first win over a top 25 opponent since 2022 and the team’s first under head coach Brandon Wagner.
“It was a great atmosphere today and a really competitive match against a well-coached, top program,” Wagner said.
It was a full house at Duckworth Family Tennis Facility, and with the fans’ support, the Tigers defended their home court with an unbreakable spirit. The day featured a dominant doubles display and some inspired individual performances. Ultimately, Noa Vukadin’s 6-4, 7-5 win over Ozan Baris, the No. 8-ranked singles player in the country, took the headline.
“I had to really think tactically,” Vukadin said. “It was a very strategic match for me. I had a lot of notes and a lot of things I needed to remember in certain moments about his game style. I knew he wasn’t going to give me anything.”
Vukadin’s win was the highest-ranked win of his career, and he did so in straight sets. Two weeks ago, after a win against Memphis, Vukadin told The Tiger about his individual goal for the season: to break into the top 20 in singles. With a top 10 win under his belt, Vukadin will be awaiting the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s release of updated rankings.
“I try not to think about it a lot when I am playing matches,” Vukadin said. “But, when I am practicing or when I’m having tougher days, I always find that as a good motivation for myself. Saying, ‘Is this the standard that top 20 guys have?'”
On the doubles side of the ball, the story was slightly different but had the same sweet ending for Vukadin: victory. With teammate Maxwell Smith, the then-No. 22 ranked duo defeated Baris and Mitchell Sheldon 6-4.
Like his doubles teammate, Smith used the momentum from his doubles win to take care of business in straight sets against David Saye on the singles court. Smith is 4-1 in both singles and doubles this season but is 4-0 in singles when he wins his doubles match.
“In the last matches especially, Noa and I have played well — clicking well, good energy. And it’s kind of easy to make that translate into singles when the energy has been there,” Smith said. “When you set that tone early for yourself — singles, doubles, whatever — it translates over. It’s just a competitive mindset.”
Following Vukadin and Smith’s win, Romain Gales and Wissam Abderrahman clinched the doubles point as they won a close tiebreak 7-5. Gales went on to win his singles matchup in straight sets, as the French junior capped off his strong day. Marko Mesarovic carried on the straight-set singles trend as he took down Taym Alazmeh 6-2, 6-2.
“I’m proud of our guys with the work they are putting in and it showed today,” Wagner said.
The win sparked an undeniable sense of belief in the team, and as the team would have it, a rowdy home crowd was there to witness their special moment.
“It just makes every point seem so important when you hear people cheering after every point,” Smith said. “Especially indoors with the echoing — the energy is crazy. We all love it.”
Now battle-tested, Clemson prepares for another ranked opponent this week: No. 17-ranked South Carolina. The Tigers will need every ounce of energy from an emphatic home crowd this Friday to take down their in-state rival.
