Michigan State Men's Tennis' Ozan Baris' Historic Run Ends in Semifinals Despite Admirable Effort
Michigan State men's tennis star Ozan Baris' epic tournament concluded on Friday.
The sophomore from Okemos, Michigan took his opponent, Alabama junior Filip Planinsek, to a third set in the NCAA Singles Championships semifinals on Friday and even led 6-3 in the final set before ultimately losing the match.
Baris fought until the end, combating two match points in the first two sets when his back was against the wall.
The young Spartan's appearance in the semifinals made history, as no Michigan State men's tennis player had ever made it that far in the NCAA singles tournament.
Baris, who was a No. 8 seed in this year's tournament, was one of four remaining players in a tournament that consisted of 64 players. His run began with a two-set win over Tyler Stice of Auburn before his come-from-behind three-set victory over Samir Banerjee of Stanford.
Baris advanced to the Sweet 16, where he swept Jack Pinnington of TCU. He then went on to conquer Ohio State's Jack Anthrop on Thursday.
Friday concluded not only a terrific tournament for the sophomore but an impressive season overall, as Baris had been named the Big Ten Player of the Year. The semifinals match also ended an eight-game singles streak for Baris, who had not lost a singles match since March.
What a season it was for Baris, who defied the odds and took his program to new territory.
The title round of the NCAA Singles Championships will take place on Saturday and can be watched on ESPN+ with a subscription.
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