No. 15 Texas A&M men’s tennis walloped the No. 24 Florida Gators 7-0 to defend home court for its third consecutive conference win.
The shutout was sealed by senior Luke Casper defeating junior Tanapatt Nirundorn 6-4, 7-5 in a tightly contested match that mirrored A&M’s supremacy throughout the day. Casper’s four years of experience as a starter were on full display, as he relied on his veteran poise to secure the sweep for the Aggies.
The Aggies set the tone early in doubles, with all three pairs jumping to 2-1 leads and never giving up control. Luke Casper and senior Giulio Perego secured the first win of the day, topping sophomore Kevin Endegren and redshirt senior JanMagnus Johnson, 6-2.
Senior JC Roddick and sophomore Tiago Pires followed suit, clinching the doubles point with a decisive 6-3 victory.
Pires, A&M’s most reliable singles player this season at 9-2, has struggled in doubles with a 4-8 record but made key plays alongside Roddick to secure the early advantage. Roddick has endured a difficult season in doubles with a 3-9 mark and losing his last four, but his ability to step up in crucial moments proved valuable.
The Aggies carried their doubles momentum into singles, wasting no time extending their lead. No. 38 freshman Theo Papamalamis continued his strong form, grinding out a 7-5, 6-3 win over No. 95 sophomore Adhithya Ganesan. His third straight victory improved his singles record to 7-4 this year, marking an impressive debut season.
Junior Togan Tokac followed Papamalamis’ lead, securing his third straight singles victory to put A&M in the driver’s seat. A former Florida Gator in his freshman year, Tokac played with an extra edge against his former team, improving to 6-3 in singles play.
No. 45 Roddick, looking to snap a three-match losing streak in singles, delivered a much-needed personal win. The senior played with renewed confidence, defeating No. 62 sophomore Jeremy Jin 6-2, 7-5 to clinch the fourth point of the day for the Maroon and White.
Florida’s No. 90 sophomore Henry Jefferson gave the Gators their best chance at avoiding the sweep by taking the first set against Pires. Jefferson got off to a fast start in the second set, but Pires responded with a composed effort, rallying for a 6-3 win to force a decider.
In the final set, Pires completed the comeback in fitting fashion, securing another 6-3 set to slam the door shut on Florida’s hopes to avoid the shutout.
With this victory, A&M strengthened its position in SEC play, improving to a 3-1 record. The Aggies will look to continue building on their three-win momentum as they take on the Rice Owls on Tuesday, March 11, at Mitchell Tennis Center.
