Badgers celebrate after clinching the match vs. Princeton
Suvir Grover

Men's Tennis Annalee Gunderson

Popovic clinches win over Princeton, 4-3

Wisconsin goes 2-0 to open the 2023 season

Men's Tennis Annalee Gunderson

Popovic clinches win over Princeton, 4-3

Wisconsin goes 2-0 to open the 2023 season

Box Score

MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin men's tennis team ended the weekend in dramatic fashion, winning an exciting 4-3 match over Princeton on Saturday. 

The Badgers (2-0) had to hustle right out of the gate in doubles. The graduate student duo of Jason Hildebrandt and Jared Pratt started this match just like the last one—winning their doubles match. The pair swiftly took down Princeton's Matthew Bosancic and Thomas Bosancic 6-2, getting the team halfway to their first point on the board. 

Robin Parts and Sebastian Vile, the veteran senior duo, fought for every point against Ellis Short and Filippos Astreinidis. The match went back and forth before Vile and Parts secured a 5-4 lead. On an exciting deuce point to decide the set, the pair clinched the doubles point for the team with a 6-4 win. 

After his doubles win, Vile started it off strong for the Badgers finishing first at No.4 singles. His two-set victory over Astreinidis, 6-1, 6-4, secured him a 4-0 record on the weekend, going perfect in both singles and doubles. 

At No. 6 singles, Parts put another point on the board for the Badgers with a 6-2, 7-5 win. He slid all over the court in an athletic match that ultimately ended with Parts taking down Princeton's Alan Kam. 

With only one point needed to clinch the match, it all came down to junior Mihailo Popovic. After dropping the first set 6-1, he rallied back to force a third with a 6-2 dominating win in the second. All tied up at 6-6 in the third, the stands and sidelines were filled with people watching him try to win it all. Popovic carried his own through the tiebreaker, finishing off the match 6-1, 2-6, 7-6 (7-2), clinching the win and keeping the Badgers' record perfect. 

Up Next: The Badgers get on the road for the first time this season, traveling to Virginia to take on Virginia Tech on Jan. 28 at 12 p.m. CT. 

Straight from the Court
Head Coach Danny Westerman

"Tonight was an amazing college tennis match. This is what it's all about. 3-3 in the dual match, 3rd set tiebreak, both teams leaving it all out there. Amazing effort by Princeton to make a great comeback. They are really well coached and competed so well. Both teams deserved to win tonight and we were fortunate things went our way."

Wisconsin 4, Princeton 3

Singles Results
1. Fnu Nidunjianzan (PU) def. Jared Pratt (WIS) 6-3, 0-6, 6-4
2. Mihailo Popovic (WIS) def. Will Peters (PU) 1-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-2)
3. Sebastian Sec (PU) def. Gabriel Huber (WIS) 7-6 (7-1), 6-3
4. Sebastian Vile (WIS) def. Filippos Astreinidis (PU) 6-1, 6-4
5. Ellis Short (PU) def. Michael Minasyan (WIS) 6-4, 6-4
6. Robin Parts (WIS) def. Alan Kam (PU) 6-2, 7-5

Doubles Results
1.  Will Peters/Fnu Nidunjianzan (PU) vs. Gabriel Huber/Michael Minasyan (WIS) 5-4 unfinished
2. Robin Parts/Sebastian Vile (WIS) def. Ellis Short/Filippos Astreinidis (PU) 6-4
3. Jason Hildebrandt/Jared Pratt (WIS) def. Matthew Bosancic/Thomas Bosancic (PU) 6-2

Order of finish: Doubles (3, 2); Singles (4, 6, 3, 5, 1, 2)


 
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Players Mentioned

Jared Pratt

Jared Pratt

6' 1"
Senior
Jason Hildebrandt

Jason Hildebrandt

6' 1"
Graduate Student
Gabriel Huber

Gabriel Huber

Senior
Robin Parts

Robin Parts

Senior
Mihailo Popovic

Mihailo Popovic

Junior
Jared Pratt

Jared Pratt

Graduate Student
Sebastian Vile

Sebastian Vile

Senior
Michael Minasyan

Michael Minasyan

Freshman

Players Mentioned

Jared Pratt

Jared Pratt

6' 1"
Senior
Jason Hildebrandt

Jason Hildebrandt

6' 1"
Graduate Student
Gabriel Huber

Gabriel Huber

Senior
Robin Parts

Robin Parts

Senior
Mihailo Popovic

Mihailo Popovic

Junior
Jared Pratt

Jared Pratt

Graduate Student
Sebastian Vile

Sebastian Vile

Senior
Michael Minasyan

Michael Minasyan

Freshman