Tufts Men’s Tennis Advances to NCAA DIII Quarterfinals, Set for Showdown with Emory

Tufts University men’s tennis team defeated RPI 4-1 to secure a spot in the 2025 NCAA Division III Championship Quarterfinals. With a 22-2 season record and multiple ITA-ranked players, Tufts will face No. 6 Emory in Claremont, CA. Both programs are eyeing a return to the national final, with Tufts seeking its first title appearance since 2023.

 

Tufts Men’s Tennis Set for NCAA DIII Quarterfinal Clash with No. 6 Emory

MEDFORD, MA (May 18, 2025) – The Tufts University men’s tennis team has advanced to the 2025 NCAA Division III Men’s Tennis Championship Quarterfinals following a dominant 4-1 victory over RPI. The Jumbos will now face No. 6 Emory on Monday, May 19 at 4:00 p.m. EST at the Biszantz Family Tennis Center in Claremont, California.

 

This marks Tufts’ fourth consecutive appearance at the NCAA final site and their third straight match against a nationally ranked opponent. The Jumbos carry an impressive 22-2 record into the Elite Eight, having bounced back strongly after a tough loss to Middlebury in the NESCAC Tournament.

Elite Talent Driving Tufts’ Title Hopes

Led by 2025 NESCAC Player of the Year Vuk Vuksanovic, Tufts boasts a lineup loaded with ITA-ranked talent. Vuksanovic, currently ranked No. 2 in the nation, leads the team with a stellar 24-3 singles record and a 23-5 doubles mark. He has won 13 consecutive singles matches.

Junior Javier Gonzalez, ranked No. 17 in singles, enters the quarterfinals riding an eight-match singles win streak and undefeated in NCAA doubles play so far. Senior Derin Acaroglu is ranked No. 47, with wins in nine of his last 12 singles outings and a 15-8 doubles record.

Additional key contributors include junior Andrej Djokic (16-5 singles), first-year standout Stavros Mastrogamvrakis (14-1 singles), and Garv Bahl (9-0 singles). Doubles specialist Alex Ganchev brings a 15-1 record and a 10-match win streak to Claremont.

The Jumbos have an overall 92% win rate this season, with 78% success in both singles and doubles. They aim to return to the championship match for the first time since 2023 under head coach Karl Gregor, who led the staff to 2025 NESCAC Coaching Staff of the Year honors.

Scouting Emory (17-6)

Emory enters the quarterfinals after back-to-back 4-0 victories in the regional rounds. The Eagles are six-time national champions and are seeking a record-tying seventh title.

Top singles player Ruilin Feng (17-4) is ranked No. 13 in the ITA poll, while teammates Efe Comu (No. 29), Dean Kamenev (No. 41), and John Lasanajak (No. 49) add depth to Emory’s singles roster. Feng and Christian Liew form the No. 7-ranked doubles duo with a 21-6 record.

The Eagles, who frequently rotate doubles combinations, are known for their depth and will provide a stern challenge in Monday’s quarterfinal.

What’s Next

The winner of Tufts vs. Emory will face either No. 2 Denison (25-2) or No. 8 Johns Hopkins (16-7) in the semifinals on Tuesday, May 20 at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Denison fields three top-20 singles players, including No. 3 Kael Shalin Shah and No. 4 Ethan Green, and holds the No. 2-ranked doubles pairing. Johns Hopkins counters with two top-50 singles players and a top-10 doubles team in Ardila and Blenkiron.

Tufts remains focused on the next match as it pushes for a return to the national final and a shot at its first NCAA title.