CLAREMONT, CA (May 20, 2025) -- The No. 3 ranked Tufts University men's tennis team saw its remarkable postseason run come to a close on late Tuesday evening in the NCAA Division III Semifinals, falling 4-1 to No. 2 Denison at the Biszantz Family Tennis Center at Claremont Makenna College. In a match-up featuring two of the top teams in the country, the Jumbos battled with trademark grit, pushing the Big Red to the brink in several closely contested matches before Denison ultimately sealed the victory.
Tufts, which entered the national semifinal riding a wave of momentum and a 23-2 record, showed early fire in doubles play. The #12-ranked pairing of Alex Ganchev and Sacha Maes delivered a powerful statement on court two, topping Denison's Gramley/Patterson combo 6-2 and giving the Jumbos a critical early edge.
But Denison responded at No. 3 doubles, where Derin Acaroglu and Stavros Mastrogamvrakis were edged 6-4 by Chapides and Meyers. That left the decisive doubles point hanging on the top court, where the heavyweight showdown between Tufts' #4 tandem of Vuk Vuksanovic and Javier Gonzalez and Denison's #2-ranked Ethan Green and Kael Shah lived up to the billing. After an electric tiebreaker, Denison eked out the win 7-6 (7-4), snatching the doubles point and setting the tone for the singles battles ahead.
Despite the setback, Tufts came out firing in singles. First-year standout Garv Bahl delivered one of the brightest moments of the day for the Jumbos, dominating court six with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Denison's Anthony Payiavlas. Bahl's poise and aggression gave Tufts its first and only point of the match, and kept momentum in Jumbo hands.
On court five, Andrej Djokic was in the midst of a gritty comeback, leading 2-1 in the third set after splitting the first two. His physicality and baseline consistency had started to wear down Denison's Nick Meyers when the match was suspended due to the clinch.
In the marquee matchup on court one, #2 Vuk Vuksanovic went toe-to-toe with Denison's top gun Ethan Green, ranked #4 nationally. Vuksanovic, a model of intensity all season long, dropped a tight first set 6-4 before pushing the second to a tiebreaker, ultimately falling 8-6 to end the match.Â
Meanwhile, #17 Javier Gonzalez and Denison's #3 Kael Shah were locked in an epic clash on court two. Gonzalez took the opening set 7-5 and was in a third-set battle before play was halted. The junior displayed his trademark versatility and all-court game, giving Tufts a shot at a comeback had the match continued.
On courts three and four, Denison managed to pick up key points with wins over Derin Acaroglu and Lachie Macintosh, respectively, in straight sets—though not without resistance, particularly from Macintosh, who pushed the first set to a tiebreak before Denison's Chapides pulled away.
While the loss stings, the Jumbos' 2025 campaign was nothing short of historic. With a 23-3 final record and a top-3 national finish, Tufts reaffirmed its place among the elite in Division III tennis. The leadership of seniors like Vuksanovic and Gonzalez, the emergence of young talents like Mastrogamvrakis, Bahl and Djokic, and the deep contributions throughout the lineup mark this as a season that will long be remembered in Medford.
2025 was the fourth straight appearance in at least the national quarterfinals for the Jumbos, as Tufts has made the national semifinals in three of the last four seasons.Â
Tufts exits the 2025 NCAA Tournament with heads held high, having shown the heart of champions on the national stage.
--JUMBOS--
