#22 Michigan, Michigan State on Deck#22 Michigan, Michigan State on Deck

#22 Michigan, Michigan State on Deck

<br /><br />The No. 47 Purdue men's tennis team (9-4, 1-3 Big Ten) continues its homestand this weekend, hosting No. 22 Michigan (9-7, 3-1 Big Ten) and No. 29 Michigan State (8-6, 3-1 Big Ten) in a Friday/Sunday showdown. First, the Boilermakers will host the Wolverines on Friday at 4 p.m. ET before taking on the Spartans on Sunday at noon ET.

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Friday, March 21 | 4 p.m. ET
#47 Purdue vs. #22 Michigan
Schwartz Tennis Center | West Lafayette, Ind.
 
Sunday, March 23 | Noon ET
#47 Purdue vs. #29 Michigan State
Schwartz Tennis Center | West Lafayette, Ind.
 
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The No. 47 Purdue men's tennis team (9-4, 1-3 Big Ten) continues its homestand this weekend, hosting No. 22 Michigan (9-7, 3-1 Big Ten) and No. 29 Michigan State (8-6, 3-1 Big Ten) in a Friday/Sunday showdown. First, the Boilermakers will host the Wolverines on Friday at 4 p.m. ET before taking on the Spartans on Sunday at noon ET.
 
THINGS TO KNOW:
  • As a team, Purdue moved up in the ITA rankings from No. 60 to 47 and own the highest program ranking since 2016 (No. 45 on 3/18/16).
  • The Boilermakers are 9-1 at home this season.
  • Purdue has taken down two ranked opponents this season: No. 20 Illinois (4-3) and No. 32 Boise State (4-1).
 
ALEKSA KRIVOKAPIC
  • Aleksa Krivokapic earned his first career ITA ranking, checking in at No. 104 in the ITA singles rankings following his takedown of No. 12 Kenta Miyoshi (Illinois): 1-6, 6-4, 6-1. The national ranking also marked the first for a Boilermaker since 2020 (last: Athell Bennett).
  • Krivokapic won both singles matches last week, improving to 2-2 during Big Ten play and a 6-5 record this season, all coming at the No. 1 singles position.
 
UNDERCLASSMEN SUCCESS
  • Freshman Nour Fathalla is 3-1 in Big Ten play this season and 10-2 overall in 2025. He is coming off a pair of wins last week in singles play, including the dual-tying point vs. No. 20 Illinois with his three-set win vs. Zach Viiala.
  • Freshman Maj Premzl secured Purdue's win vs. No. 20 Illinois last week for the highest-ranked win for the program in 11 years and his first singles win of Big Ten play. Premzl took down Jeremy Zhang in a three-set thriller: 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-3 at the No. 3 position, his first collegiate appearance at the spot in the lineup.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
  • Friday's dual vs. No. 22 Michigan marks the third in the last six that Purdue has taken on a top-22 program.
  • The Boilermakers will be looking for their first win vs. Michigan since 2004.
  • Two Wolverines are ranked in the latest ITA release: No. 64 Benjamin Kittay and No. 84 Gavin Young, Meanwhile in doubles, Michigan boasts the No. 7 pair of Gavin Young and Benjamin Kittay and No. 85 Patorn Hanchaikul and Benjamin Kittay.
  • No. 29 Michigan State play in West Lafayette for the first time in two years (last 4/14/23).
  • Five Spartans are ranked in the latest ITA release: No. 5 Ozan Baris, No. 22 Aristotelis Thanos, No. 79 Max Sheldon and No. 81 Matthew Forbes. Meanwhile in doubles, the duo of Aristotelis Thanos and Ozan Baris check in at No. 86.