TYLER, Texas (February 22, 2026) – The UT Permian Basin men's tennis team fell 6-1 against Southern Arkansas University on its third and final day at TJC Brookshires.

Philipp Gaurieder and Joao D'Amorim started things off with a tiebreak win, 7-6 (7-4), over Balsa Djokovic and Taiki Minamino at No. 3 doubles. However, in the final doubles match, Nehal Naidoo and Kabir Chothani came up just short in a tiebreak of their own, 7-6 (7-5), vs. Uwe Diehl and Jonas Sommer.

In singles, each of the top-3 positions went to either a third set or a tiebreak.

Naidoo fell 6-1, 7-6 (7-1) in a second-set tiebreak vs. Frode Neumann at No. 2 singles while Lucas Nakasato fell 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 in a three-setter vs. Djokovic at No. 3 singles.

Earning a big win at No. 1 singles was D'Amorim, battling to a 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 defeat of former Falcon Lucas Nitzschke. This past Fall, Nitzschke won the Flight 2 Singles title at the Great American Conference (GAC) Individual Championships.

At No. 4 singles, Chothani fell 6-2, 6-3, vs. Sommer, who won the Flight 3 Singles title at the GAC Individual Championships.

At No. 6 singles, Gaurieder fell 6-3, 6-2 vs. Shun Wakino, who won the Flight 5 Singles title at the GAC Individual Championships.
 
Results:
Doubles

• #1 – Uwe Diehl/Jonas Sommer (SAU) def. Nehal Naidoo/Kabir Chothani (UTPB) 7-6 (7-5)
• #2 – Lucas Nitzschke/Frode Neumann (SAU) def. Lucas Nakasato/Andrew Hunsley (UTPB) 6-2
• #3 – Philipp Gaurieder/Joao D'Amorim (UTPB) def. Balsa Djokovic/Taiki Minamino (SAU) 7-6 (7-4)
• Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1

Singles

• #1 – Joao D'Amorim (UTPB) def. Lucas Nitzschke (SAU) 6-4, 2-6, 7-5
• #2 – Frode Neumann (SAU) def. Nehal Naidoo (UTPB) 6-1, 7-6 (7-1)
• #3 – Balsa Djokovic (SAU) def. Lucas Nakasato (UTPB) 5-7, 6-4, 6-3
• #4 – Jonas Sommer (SAU) def. Kabir Chothani (UTPB) 6-2, 6-3
• #5 – Uwe Diehl (SAU) def. Enrique Silveira (UTPB) 7-6, 6-4
• #6 – Shun Wakino (SAU) def. Philipp Gaurieder (UTPB) 6-3, 6-2
• Order of Finish: 4, 2, 3, 1, 6, 5

 
Team Records:

• UTPB falls to 1-5 while SAU, which was voted preseason third in the South Division of the MIAA/GAC preseason coaches' poll, improves to .500 overall (3-3).
• Five of the Muleriders' six matches so far this season have come against Lone Star Conference competition (2-3).
• The Mulerider men are coming off of a 2024-25 season that saw them compete at the NCAA Central Region Championship in Topeka, Kansas. The regional appearance was the second straight year that the Mulerider men have qualified for the Central Region tournament. Southern Arkansas ended its season with a 12-11 overall record.

 
Weekend Combined Statistical Leaders:

• Despite falling today, Lucas Nakasato and Andrew Hunsley were a combined 2-1 at No. 2 doubles, accounting for two of UTPB's three doubles wins on the weekend and including a nationally-ranked win over the No. 23-ranked doubles pair from Harding University on Saturday.

 
Next Up: The Falcons return to action March 7-9 for their Spring Break trip back in the Dallas, Texas, area.