Wisconsin Badgers
Illinois
Five things to know: Men’s tennis begins postseason play
April 21, 2026 | Men's Tennis
No. 34 Wisconsin faces No. 14 Illinois in Big Ten Tournament
1 – REGULAR SEASON WRAP UP – After going 1-1 at Nielsen last weekend, Wisconsin finished the regular season with an 11-2 home record, its most wins at home since 2013. The Badgers dropped a match to the No. 2 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes on Friday, before wrapping up the regular season with a sweep against the Penn State Nittany Lions Sunday morning. Michael Minasyan earned singles victories in both matches, while Patrik Meszaros and Ferdinand Kloesters added singles wins on Sunday.
2 – A SPECIAL SENIOR – A four-year member of the Wisconsin men's tennis team, Michael Minasyan made a lasting impression on the program. During his career Minasyan has defeated multiple top-ranked opponents, including both an NCAA singles champion and an NCAA singles finalist. Over the weekend the senior notched two singles victories, including a win over No. 24 ranked Jack Anthrop of Ohio State. His performance earned him the No. 63 spot in this week's ITA singles rankings. Minasyan was celebrated on Sunday during the Badgers' Senior Day festivities.
3 – MAKING HISTORY – With a regular season record of 17-6 (.739) the 2026 Badgers put themselves in the Wisconsin men's tennis record book with the second-best winning percentage in program history. Over the course of the spring season Wisconsin earned 11 sweeps (five in Big Ten play), its most in program history.
4 – KNOW YOUR OPPONENT – UW enters the Big Ten Tournament as the six seed and will face the three seed, Illinois. When the two teams met earlier this season, the Fighting Illini left Madison with a 4-2 victory over the Badgers. As of the most recent ITA rankings, Illinois has three players ranked in singles, with Kenta Miyoshi leading the way at No. 16.
5 – PREVIEW THE POSTSEASON – The Badgers are well-positioned to earn a bid in the NCAA Tournament, with action beginning in early May. Wisconsin will learn its postseason fate during the NCAA selection show on Monday, April 27 (3 p.m. CT). UW last appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2017. If the Badgers earn a spot, Wisconsin will participate in the NCAA Regionals, hosted at various campus sites, beginning on May 1.
