Duran Delivers: Blue Raiders Clinch 4-3 Thriller Over Old Dominion

Saturday, February 21

Murfreesboro, Tenn

2 p.m.

Middle Tennessee

Old Dominion

2/21/2026 10:02:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Box Score

By: Edly Termilien / MTSU Athletic Communications

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee wrapped up Day 2 of the Battle in the 'Boro with a 4-3 victory over Old Dominion Saturday afternoon at the Outdoor Tennis Complex. The match came down to the very last court, where the Blue Raiders clinched an incredible win in dramatic fashion on court five.

In doubles, the nationally ranked duo of Karim Al-Amin and Ondrej Horak kicked things off strong by taking down Thomas Nelson and J-Karim OlivierDeSar 6-3. They totally dominated the net and set the pace.

Then the freshmen duo of Houston Jacques and Antoine Mayoral clinched the doubles point with a 6-4 victory against Zech Hamrouni and Piet Steveker. They battled through some close games and pulled ahead when it mattered most, scoring that crucial point for Middle Tennessee. This is also their first win as doubles partners.

Meanwhile, on Court 2, Eric Crivei and Jonasz Dziopak's match was still in play but sitting at 5-4 when everything else wrapped up.

Moving on to singles, Horak kept the momentum going on court one, comfortably beating Majchrzak with a score of 6-4, 6-2. He kicked it up a notch in the second set, breaking early and cruising to make it 2-0 for the Blue Raiders.

On court two, Al-Amin really turned it around after dropping the first set to Obermair, coming back to win it 6-3, 6-2 and pushing MTSU's lead to 3-0.

Old Dominion managed to get on the board when Olivier DeSar triumphed over Dziopak 6-3, 4-6, 6-0. Dziopak fought hard to take the second set, but Olivier DeSar took charge in the deciding set.

Then Hamrouni scored a comeback win against Crivei 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 on court four. Crivei took the first set, but Hamrouni adjusted and nailed it with key breaks in the final two sets to level the match.

Piet Steveker defeated senior Freddy Murray, winning it 6-1, 6-7 (7-9), 7-5. Murray fighting off match points in the second-set tiebreak, but Steveker came through in the third set to tie things up at 3-3.

With everything on the line, junior Birtan Duran stepped up big time on court 5. Even after losing a tight first-set tiebreak to Aryan Saleh, he bounced back with a second-set tiebreak win and took control in the third, finishing it off 6-2. The Turkish native focus and aggressive plays brought home the thrilling 4-3 victory for Middle Tennessee.

BOX SCORE
Middle Tennessee 4, Old Dominion 3

DOUBLES
#38 Karim Al-Amin / Ondrej Horak (MTSU) def. Thomas Nelson / J-Karim OlivierDeSar (ODU) – 6-3
Eric Crivei / Jonasz Dziopak (MTSU) vs. Adam Majchrzak / Felix Obermair (ODU) – 5-4, unfinished
Houston Jacques / Antoine Mayoral (MTSU) def. Zech Hamrouni / Piet Steveker (ODU) – 6-4

Order of Finish: 1, 3

SINGLES
Ondrej Horak (MTSU) def. Adam Majchrzak (ODU) – 6-4, 6-2
Karim Al-Amin (MTSU) def. Felix Obermair (ODU) – 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
J-Karim OlivierDeSar (ODU) def. Jonasz Dziopak (MTSU) – 6-3, 4-6, 6-0
Zech Hamrouni (ODU) def. Eric Crivei (MTSU) – 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
Birtan Duran (MTSU) def. Aryan Saleh (ODU) – 6-7, 7-6, 6-2
Piet Steveker (ODU) def. Freddy Murray (MTSU) – 6-1, 6-7 (7-9), 7-5

Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 5