No. 2 Virginia men’s tennis delivered a commanding performance on Friday night, defeating No. 12 Columbia 6-1 at the Boar’s Head Sports Club. Playing on its home indoor courts, the Cavaliers (5-0, 0-0 ACC) controlled the match from the opening points and showcased its depth across both doubles and singles lineups, remaining unbeaten on the season, including three wins over ranked opponents.
Virginia set the tone immediately in doubles, establishing authority across all three courts and never allowing the Lions (2-3, 0-0 Ivy League) to settle in. On the top doubles court, junior Dylan Dietrich and sophomore Stiles Brockett raced past senior Nicolas Kotzen and freshman Andrew Ena for a quick 6-1 win, with Dietrich consistently closing out points and Brockett imposing himself both at the baseline and the net.
The doubles point was clinched on Court 2, where sophomore Jangjun Kim and senior Mans Dahlberg powered through senior Michael Zheng and senior Sachin Palta for a 6-3 win. Dahlberg dictated play with powerful baseline shots, while Kim stepped inside the baseline to break down the Columbia pairing’s defense. The match marked Zheng’s — college tennis’ reigning singles champion and No. 1 ranked player — first collegiate appearance of the spring, as he competed in doubles only after returning from the 2026 Australian Open, where he reached the second round of the main draw.
Over on Court 3, freshman Andrés Santamarta Roig and sophomore Keegan Rice battled through repeated deuce games against No. 37 ranked sophomore Thanaphat Boosarawongse and freshman Aditya Govila, holding firm in long, pressure-filled games to keep momentum on Virginia’s side. The Cavaliers had opened up a 5-2 lead before play was suspended.
Singles play opened with Brockett delivering a dominant all-around performance on Court 5, dismantling Govila 6-1, 6-0. Brockett controlled every part of the match, defending effortlessly, redirecting pace and attacking whenever openings appeared. He never allowed Govila to find rhythm, ending the match with a backhand down-the-line passing shot that brought the crowd to its feet.
Virginia quickly extended its lead on Court 2, where No. 29 Rice overwhelmed No. 65 Palta 6-2, 6-1. Rice dictated the tempo from the outset, striking cleanly off both sides and repeatedly forcing Palta into defensive positions. His ability to step forward and finish points efficiently allowed him to move through the match with authority.
Senior Douglas Yaffa clinched the match for the Cavaliers on Court 6, edging past sophomore Andrew Kotzen 7-5 in the first set before pulling away in the second. Yaffa surged through the second set without dropping a game, closing out a 6-0 set to secure Virginia’s fourth point.
Despite the Cavaliers sealing the dual win, the two ranked sides opted to play out the three remaining courts. Santamarta Roig added another win on Court 4, rebounding from a slow start against freshman Abhishek Thorat. After dropping the first set, Santamarta Roig injected energy and more aggression into his game, flipping momentum and closing out a 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 victory with confident ball-striking.
The most hard-fought and emotionally-charged battle of the night unfolded on Court 3, where Kim went toe-to-toe with Boosarawongse in a physical three-set contest that served as a rematch from their junior tennis days. After dropping the opening set, Kim raised his intensity and swung more freely, refusing to back down as he took the second set behind aggressive shot-making and relentless defense. In the deciding set, Kim continued to compete through the long rallies, but struggled to get past Boosarawongse’s precision, as the Columbia sophomore repeatedly found the lines and hit sharp passing shots at critical moments. Kim continued to fight through every point until the final games, ultimately falling 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 in a match that showcased his resilience and competitive spirit.
On the top singles court, No. 16-ranked Dietrich capped the night with a gritty three-set battle against No. 52 Nicolas Kotzen, rebounding from a first set deficit to earn the 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 win. Dietrich stayed composed through extended rallies and pressure-filled games, elevating his level late in the third set to break serve and close out the match, sealing a convincing home victory for Virginia.
Virginia closed out the night with a convincing team effort, improving to a 5-0 record and continuing to defend home court. The Cavaliers will look to carry that momentum in their next matchup on Sunday, when they host Vanderbilt men’s tennis at noon. The match will also carry added significance, as the Commodores’ (5-1, 0-0 SEC) head coach Scott Brown returns to Charlottesville, where he previously served as an associate head coach with the men’s tennis team, helping lead Virginia to back-to-back NCAA titles.
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