MIDLAND, Texas (April 10, 2026) – The University of Texas Permian Basin men's tennis team played in its first home match of the 2026 season on Friday at the Bush Tennis Center and despite a valiant effort, fell 5-2 vs. St. Mary's University.
Earning a win in doubles to start off the day was
Kabir Chothani and
Lucas Nakasato with a 6-2 defeat over Nikita Gavrilonoks and Louis Hein, who were playing together for just the second time this season.
UTPB fought hard to try and win the doubles point, but after leading 4-1 in the tiebreaker at No. 3 doubles,
Philipp Gaurieder and
Joao D'Amorim fell 7-6 (7-5) against Leonardo Fabbri and Fabian Rosales, who were playing together for the first time this season.
After nearly winning the doubles point, UTPB won two singles matches and went to a third-set super tiebreaker in another.
Nakasato won 6-2, 6-2 over Florian Smalto at No. 2 singles to make it a 2-1 deficit.
After D'Amroim fell 6-4, 6-3 against Lucas Castillo Sanchez at No. 1 singles,
Nehal Naidoo came back to win in three sets, 1-6, 6-2, 6-3, over Fabbri at No. 3 singles to make it a 3-2 deficit.
After StMU won the match at No. 6 singles, Chothani was competing at No. 4 singles and came up just short by two points in a third-set super tiebreaker, falling in a 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 1-0 (10-8) comeback win by Gavrilonoks.
Results:
Doubles
Singles
- #1 – Lucas Castillo Sanchez (StMU) def. Joao D'Amorim (UTPB) 6-4, 6-3
- #2 – Lucas Nakasato (UTPB) def. Florian Smalto (StMU) 6-2, 6-2
- #3 – Nehal Naidoo (UTPB) def. Leonardo Fabbri (StMU) 1-6, 6-2, 6-3
- #4 – Nikita Gavrilonoks (StMU) def. Kabir Chothani (UTPB) 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 1-0 (10-8)
- #5 – Diego Alvarez (StMU) def. Andrew Hunsley (UTPB) 6-2, 6-1
- #6 – Aaron Ben Anton (StMU) def. Philipp Gaurieder (UTPB) 6-2, 6-3
- Order of Finish: 5, 2, 1, 3, 6, 4
Team Records:
- UTPB falls to 4-12 and 1-4 in the Lone Star Conference.
- St. Mary's improves to 13-4 and 3-2. The Rattlers had a three-match winning streak snapped in a 7-0 defeat at No. 8 Lubbock Christian University on Thursday.
- The 12-3 start to this season for the Rattlers tied the best 15-match start in school history.
- St. Mary's is now 12-2 in the series against UTPB with a 5-1 record on the road. Last year, the Rattlers won 4-3 against the Falcons in Midland, Texas, after UTPB defeated St. Mary's by a score of 5-2 in both 2023 and 2024.
Next Up: UTPB will play its final two road matches of the season next week. First will be Western New Mexico University on Friday, April 17, in Silver City New Mexico, followed by Sul Ross State University on Saturday, April 18, from Alpine, Texas.
