Men’s tennis has wasted no time defining its spring season.
An encouraging opening weekend on the road quickly evolved into a dominant stretch at home, resilient against Ivy League competition as the Red continues to sharpen its identity in dual-match play.
Cornell (6-2) opened the spring season with a 4-0 sweep at Louisville (9-4) on Jan. 16, displaying confident doubles play before quickly closing the match in singles. Two days later, the Red backed it up with a gritty 4-3 road win at Purdue (3-5), an early-season test that revealed both depth and composure. Back at home, Cornell continued its dominant stretch with 7-0 sweeps over Buffalo (6-3) on Jan. 29 and St. John’s (5-1) on Feb. 7.
The results tell part of the story. The process, according to head coach Silviu Tanasoiu, matters much more.
“What’s stood out most is this group’s willingness to lean into clarity and accountability,” Tanasoiu said. “Rather than getting caught up in outcomes, the players have shown a strong commitment to understanding how we want to compete — our patterns, our standards and our identity.”
That identity was tested at the ECAC Championships, hosted by Princeton from Feb.13 to Feb. 15, where Cornell faced a slate of Ivy League competition.
The Red opened the tournament with a gritty 4-3 win over Yale (7-3), a match that came down to the final courts and required composure under pressure. That led to Cornell running into nationally ranked No. 12 Columbia (5-4), falling 4-0 to the conference powerhouse. The weekend concluded on a high note, however, as the Red secured third place with a 4-2 victory over Penn (6-3).
Spring dual matches are played under a new format, one that differs from the fall season. Teams contest three doubles matches and six singles matches, with the doubles point awarded to the team that wins two of three. Each singles match counts as one point. The first team to four points wins the match, a structure that Cornell has embraced.
“The new format has heightened the importance of collective responsibility,” Tanasoiu said. “Every point, every decision matters more, and the team has become more connected and intentional in how they support each other across courts.”
No pairing has embodied that more than the Indian doubles tandem of sophomore Rushil Khosla and freshman Rethin Pranav Senthil Kumar. The duo opened the spring unbeaten in doubles (4-0), continuing a partnership that began years before either player arrived in Ithaca.
“Both of us have known each other for almost seven years now,” Khosla said. “I’ve known him since I was 12. I know how he’s feeling during these college matches. I’ve been in his place a year ago, so I know what he’s feeling, and I feel like I can help him out.”
Their chemistry is rooted in being calm, cool and collected on the court.
“Both of us are really calm and composed,” Khosla said. “We don’t rely on screaming and shouting. We go out there, stay quiet and just play our game and stay focused through the match.”
After losing five seniors last season and entering the spring with a smaller group, Cornell has emphasized communication and collective support, an adjustment Khosla believes has strengthened the team.
“Tennis is a really individual sport,” he said. “Support-wise, we try to understand when that one guy needs more support and just make sure we’re there for each other.”
As the spring progresses, Cornell’s emphasis remains on refining its process — sharpening first-ball execution, managing momentum swings and sustaining clarity under pressure.
“We want to improve our ability to start points with conviction and maintain our standards from the first point to the last, regardless of the scoreline,” Tanasoiu said.
Cornell returns to action Saturday, Feb. 21, at 5 p.m. in Ithaca when it battles Tulsa University (7-6), looking to carry its growing momentum back.
Coverage will be broadcasted on ESPN+.
Austin Curtis is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. He is a Sun Staff Writer and can be reached at acurtis@cornellsun.com.
