ABILENE, Texas (March 21, 2026) – With the start of Lone Star Conference action exactly one week away, the UT Permian Basin men's tennis team was tied 3-3 against NCAA Division III Hardin-Simmons University before Christian Lopez delivered a 6-7 (4-7), 7-5, 6-3 comeback win at No. 5 singles to send the Falcons to a 4-3 victory over the Cowboys.

UTPB swept the doubles action, being paced by a 6-1 win by Nehal Naidoo and Kabir Chothani over Payne Smith and Gabriel Harris in the top spot. In addition, Philipp Gaurieder and Joao D'Amorim improved to 4-1 at No. 3 doubles with a 6-2 win while Andrew Hunsley and Lucas Nakasato improved to 4-2 at No. 2 doubles with a 6-3 win.

UTPB won in straight sets in the top-two singles spot with Nakasato winning 6-1, 6-3 over Smith, the 2025 American Southwest Conference (ASC) MVP, at No. 1 singles, and Chothani winning 6-4, 6-3 over Maddux Foster at No. 2 singles.

That gave the Falcons a 3-0 lead. However, UTPB would drop a three-set match at No. 4 singles and lost in a first-set tiebreaker at No. 3 singles, setting up the need for Lopez to complete his three-set win, his first win of the season overall, at No. 5 singles.
 
Results:
Doubles

• #1 – Nehal Naidoo/Kabir Chothani (UTPB) def. Payne Smith/Gabriel Harris (HSU) 6-1
• #2 – Andrew Hunsley/Lucas Nakasato (UTPB) def. Maddux Foster/Kayden Lengacher (HSU) 6-3
• #3 – Philipp Gaurieder/Joao D'Amorim (UTPB) def. Brandon Curiel/Pedro Rozani (HSU) 6-2
• Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3

Singles

• #1 – Lucas Nakasato (UTPB) def. Payne Smith (HSU) 6-1, 6-3
• #2 – Kabir Chothani (UTPB) def. Maddux Foster (HSU) 6-4, 6-3
• #3 – Gabriel Harris (HSU) def. Philipp Gaurieder (UTPB) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
• #4 – Brandon Curiel (HSU) def. Enrique Silveira (UTPB) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
• #5 – Christian Lopez (UTPB) def. Pedro Rozani (HSU) 6-7 (4-7), 7-5, 6-3
• #6 – Kayden Lengacher (HSU) def. Sebastian Garcia (UTPB) 6-2, 6-3
• Order of Finish: 1, 2, 4, 3, 6, 5

Team Records:

• With its first win since its season opener, UTPB improves to 2-8.
• It was the Falcons' seventh-straight win over the Cowboys since 2013, including the last four in Abilene.
• Hardin-Simmons (7-5) defeated McMurry University (6-1) and went down to Abilene Christian University (6-1) and UT Permian Basin (4-3) for a tripleheader of matches in Abilene on Saturday.

Next Up: Just one day before the start of Lone Star Conference action, UTPB will play another NCAA Division III school, Texas Wesleyan University, at 5 p.m. on Friday, March 27, from the Arlington Tennis Center in Arlington, Texas, the same site as the current LSC Championships.