Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Thursday, February 5
Blacksburg, VA
4 p.m
Middle Tennessee
4
at
3
Virginia Tech
Blue Raiders Outlast Virginia Tech, 4–3, on the Road
2/5/2026 7:54:00 PM | Men's Tennis
BLACKSBURG, Va. – Middle Tennessee (6–2) defeated Virginia Tech (0–4) 4–3 on Thursday evening, recording its first Power Four win of the season.
On court one, No. 60 Karim Al-Amin and Ondrej Horak defeated Blake Hilsen and Eyal Shumilov. The Blue Raiders were down 4-1 before winning four consecutive games to take the lead at 5-4. The ranked duo finished the match with a score of 6-4.
The doubles point for the Blue Raiders was secured on Court Three, where junior Birtan Duran and freshman Antoine Mayoral defeated Drew Fishback and Frank Thompson 7-6 (7-3). The match saw several ties and lead changes until the Blue Raiders gained a 5-4 advantage. The Hokies broke back to tie at 5-5 before the match went into a tiebreaker, where the Blue Raiders took control to win 7-6 (7-3).
Court two remained unfinished, where freshman Houston Jacques made his Blue Raider debut alongside senior Jonasz Dziopak in a tightly contested match against Ilyas Fahim and Patrik Jurina, 6-6. The Blue Raiders held a 4-3 lead before the Hokies broke back to tie it at 4-4, and then again at 5-5 before the match entered a tiebreaker, with the Hokies leading 2-0 in the tiebreak.
In singles play, Horak was the first to finish on court one, losing to Fahim with a score of 1-6, 5-7. Fahim from Virginia Tech started strong, going up 5-0 before Horak managed to break back, but it wasn't enough. In the second set, they were tied a few times, but Horak couldn't pull ahead at any point. The Hokies ended up tied with the Blue Raiders at 1-1 in the match score. This was Horak's first singles loss on court one and in the 2026 season.
On court three, Dziopak wrapped up his match against Virginia Tech's Shumilov with a winning score of 6-3, 6-3. In the first set, they were tied 3-3 until Dziopak went on a three-game streak to take it. During the second set, Dziopak maintained control, and even though Shumilov managed to break back three times, but he couldn't catch up. The Blue Raider took the match score 2-1.
On court 5, Mayoral faced Victor Kimpel and ended up losing 6-7, 4-6. Mayoral was down 2-5 at one point but rallied back to tie it at 5-5, and then they went to 6-6 before heading to tiebreakers, where Mayoral lost 7-6 (7-5). In the second set, they were tied at 2-2 before Kimpel took charge and secured the win, making the match score 2-2 overall.
On court six, Freddy Murray took down Hilsen with a score of 7-6, 6-4. The first set was a bit of a nail-biter with some ties and a couple of lead changes, but Murray really nailed it in the tiebreaker, winning 7-6. In the second set, they were tied at 3-3 for a bit before Murray went on a 3-game streak to finish it off. The Blue Raiders are ahead 3-2 in the match score.
Duran lost to Fishback on court four with a score of 6-2, 6-7, 6-7. Duran was pretty much in control throughout that set, breaking Fishback twice. Things got exciting in the second set when Fishback found himself down 5-3. He rallied to tie it at 5-5 and then pushed it to 6-6, leading to a tiebreaker where Fishback pulled ahead, finishing 7-6 (7-4). In the third set, Duran never took the lead but managed to tie a few times before Fishback closed it out in the tiebreaker 7-6 (7-5). The match score between the Blue Raiders and Hokies was tied 3-3.
The deciding match happened on court 2, where Al-Amin beat Jurina 7-6, 4-6, 7-5. In the first set, Jurina was ahead 5-3 before Al-Amin made a comeback and tied it 5-5. Al-Amin then took the lead 6-5, but Jurina brought it back to a tie. Al-Amin took the first set in the tiebreak. He dropped the second set after tying it at 3-3 and breaking back to make it 5-4, but Jurina stepped up in the next game. In the final set, Jurina tied it 5-5 before Al-Amin sealed the win by taking the next two games 7-5.
BOX SCORE
Middle Tennessee 4, Virginia Tech 3
Singles competition
1. Ilyas Fahim (VT) def. #115 Ondrej Horak (MTSU) 6-1, 7-5
2. #113 Karim Al-Amin (MTSU) def. Patrik Jurina (VT) 7-6 (9-7), 4-6, 7-5 3. Jonasz Dziopak (MTSU) def. Eyal Shumilov (VT) 6-3, 6-3
4. Drew Fishback (VT) def. Birtan Duran (MTSU) 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-4) 5. Victor Kimpel (VT) def. Antoine Mayoral (MTSU) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
6. Freddy Murray (MTSU) def. Blake Hilsen (VT) 7-6 (7-1), 6-4
Doubles competition
1. #60 Karim Al-Amin/Ondrej Horak (MTSU) def. Blake Hilsen/Eyal Shumilov (VT) 6-4
2. Ilyas Fahim/Patrik Jurina (VT) vs. Houston Jacques/Jonasz Dziopak (MTSU) 6-6 (2-0), unfinished 3. Birtan Duran/Antoine Mayoral (MTSU) def. Drew Fishback/Frank Thompson (VT) 7-6 (7-3)
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (1,3,5,6,2,4)
UP NEXT:
The Blue Raiders host Alabama on Sunday, Feb. 8, at 1 pm CT at Adams Tennis Complex.
On court one, No. 60 Karim Al-Amin and Ondrej Horak defeated Blake Hilsen and Eyal Shumilov. The Blue Raiders were down 4-1 before winning four consecutive games to take the lead at 5-4. The ranked duo finished the match with a score of 6-4.
The doubles point for the Blue Raiders was secured on Court Three, where junior Birtan Duran and freshman Antoine Mayoral defeated Drew Fishback and Frank Thompson 7-6 (7-3). The match saw several ties and lead changes until the Blue Raiders gained a 5-4 advantage. The Hokies broke back to tie at 5-5 before the match went into a tiebreaker, where the Blue Raiders took control to win 7-6 (7-3).
Court two remained unfinished, where freshman Houston Jacques made his Blue Raider debut alongside senior Jonasz Dziopak in a tightly contested match against Ilyas Fahim and Patrik Jurina, 6-6. The Blue Raiders held a 4-3 lead before the Hokies broke back to tie it at 4-4, and then again at 5-5 before the match entered a tiebreaker, with the Hokies leading 2-0 in the tiebreak.
In singles play, Horak was the first to finish on court one, losing to Fahim with a score of 1-6, 5-7. Fahim from Virginia Tech started strong, going up 5-0 before Horak managed to break back, but it wasn't enough. In the second set, they were tied a few times, but Horak couldn't pull ahead at any point. The Hokies ended up tied with the Blue Raiders at 1-1 in the match score. This was Horak's first singles loss on court one and in the 2026 season.
On court three, Dziopak wrapped up his match against Virginia Tech's Shumilov with a winning score of 6-3, 6-3. In the first set, they were tied 3-3 until Dziopak went on a three-game streak to take it. During the second set, Dziopak maintained control, and even though Shumilov managed to break back three times, but he couldn't catch up. The Blue Raider took the match score 2-1.
On court 5, Mayoral faced Victor Kimpel and ended up losing 6-7, 4-6. Mayoral was down 2-5 at one point but rallied back to tie it at 5-5, and then they went to 6-6 before heading to tiebreakers, where Mayoral lost 7-6 (7-5). In the second set, they were tied at 2-2 before Kimpel took charge and secured the win, making the match score 2-2 overall.
On court six, Freddy Murray took down Hilsen with a score of 7-6, 6-4. The first set was a bit of a nail-biter with some ties and a couple of lead changes, but Murray really nailed it in the tiebreaker, winning 7-6. In the second set, they were tied at 3-3 for a bit before Murray went on a 3-game streak to finish it off. The Blue Raiders are ahead 3-2 in the match score.
Duran lost to Fishback on court four with a score of 6-2, 6-7, 6-7. Duran was pretty much in control throughout that set, breaking Fishback twice. Things got exciting in the second set when Fishback found himself down 5-3. He rallied to tie it at 5-5 and then pushed it to 6-6, leading to a tiebreaker where Fishback pulled ahead, finishing 7-6 (7-4). In the third set, Duran never took the lead but managed to tie a few times before Fishback closed it out in the tiebreaker 7-6 (7-5). The match score between the Blue Raiders and Hokies was tied 3-3.
The deciding match happened on court 2, where Al-Amin beat Jurina 7-6, 4-6, 7-5. In the first set, Jurina was ahead 5-3 before Al-Amin made a comeback and tied it 5-5. Al-Amin then took the lead 6-5, but Jurina brought it back to a tie. Al-Amin took the first set in the tiebreak. He dropped the second set after tying it at 3-3 and breaking back to make it 5-4, but Jurina stepped up in the next game. In the final set, Jurina tied it 5-5 before Al-Amin sealed the win by taking the next two games 7-5.
BOX SCORE
Middle Tennessee 4, Virginia Tech 3
Singles competition
1. Ilyas Fahim (VT) def. #115 Ondrej Horak (MTSU) 6-1, 7-5
2. #113 Karim Al-Amin (MTSU) def. Patrik Jurina (VT) 7-6 (9-7), 4-6, 7-5 3. Jonasz Dziopak (MTSU) def. Eyal Shumilov (VT) 6-3, 6-3
4. Drew Fishback (VT) def. Birtan Duran (MTSU) 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-4) 5. Victor Kimpel (VT) def. Antoine Mayoral (MTSU) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
6. Freddy Murray (MTSU) def. Blake Hilsen (VT) 7-6 (7-1), 6-4
Doubles competition
1. #60 Karim Al-Amin/Ondrej Horak (MTSU) def. Blake Hilsen/Eyal Shumilov (VT) 6-4
2. Ilyas Fahim/Patrik Jurina (VT) vs. Houston Jacques/Jonasz Dziopak (MTSU) 6-6 (2-0), unfinished 3. Birtan Duran/Antoine Mayoral (MTSU) def. Drew Fishback/Frank Thompson (VT) 7-6 (7-3)
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (1,3,5,6,2,4)
UP NEXT:
The Blue Raiders host Alabama on Sunday, Feb. 8, at 1 pm CT at Adams Tennis Complex.
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
MTEN: Middle Tennessee vs Belmont
Sunday, January 25
MTEN: Middle Tennessee vs Harvard
Tuesday, January 20
MTEN: Middle Tennessee vs Tennessee Tech
Friday, January 16
MTEN: Middle Tennessee vs Lipscomb
Friday, January 16
