Sophomore Rodrigo Fernandes didn’t have time to process what he had just done.
The moment the ball left his racket on the final point — a smashing volley at the net to close out a three-hour war — his teammates stormed the court. The sophomore had just stunned two-time NCAA singles champion and professional tennis player Michael Zheng, lifting the Red past No. 22 Columbia 4-3 in a match that carried everything on the line: an Ivy League title, an automatic NCAA Tournament bid and a Senior Day farewell that neither of the team’s two seniors will ever forget.
“I was in shock for a few seconds, but I didn’t have much time to think because I saw all my teammates running to me and celebrating,” Fernandes said.
For the first time since 2017, Cornell seized the Ivy League tennis title.
The stakes entering Saturday’s match at Reis Tennis Center were clear: Columbia had already clinched at least a share of the Ivy League title with a conference-leading 6-0 record. Cornell, at 5-1, needed a win to tie Columbia for first, co-owning the crown. This head-to-head victory earned a berth to the National Tournament for the Red. The Lions had roared into Ithaca with a 19-match Ivy League winning streak — but Cornell silenced them.
College Tennis Format
Under college tennis rules, a match consists of six singles contests and three doubles contests. Each singles match is worth one point, while the team that wins two of the three doubles matches earns one additional point, making seven total points available. The first team to reach four points wins the match. Doubles matches are played as a single set, while singles matches are best-of-three sets.
An Auspicious Start
Cornell drew first blood by taking the doubles point, with freshman Rethin Pranav Senthil Kumar and sophomore Rushil Khosla claiming the No. 2 spot 6-4 and junior Felipe Pinzon and senior Petar Teodorovic doing the same at No. 3, also 6-4. The No. 1 doubles match was left unfinished, since the Red already clinched two of three matches to earn the first point. It was a critical early foothold — one the Red would need.
1-0 Cornell.
Singles play followed, and the match quickly became a seesaw.
Pinzon fell at the No. 5 singles spot 6-3, 6-1. But his teammate Kumar had his back, continuing his brilliant spring at No. 4 with a 6-4, 6-2 triumph against his Columbia adversary. The freshman has now gone 14-1 in his last 15 matches, winning 13 matches straight.
Cornell ahead 2-1.
Lions Roar Back
Columbia, however, answered. Its No. 2 player defeated Teodorovic in straight sets, 7-6 (7), 6-3. Senior and team captain Aman Sharma fell in a three-set battle at No. 6, losing 6-3 in the decisive set, despite winning the second 6-4.
Suddenly, Columbia led 3-2 with two matches remaining, one win away from claiming the title outright.
Verdes Keeps the Dream Alive
Junior Eric Verdes stood between Cornell and elimination.
At No. 3 singles, Verdes dropped the first set and fell behind a break in the second before steadying himself, taking the set and forcing a deciding third set. Serving for the match at 5-4 in the third, while managing cramps in his wrist, Verdes attacked the net relentlessly, hitting clean volley winners to close it out 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
The packed Reis Center crowd turned its full attention to the one remaining match: No. 1 singles.
Fernandes Stuns Grand Slam Veteran
What followed was three hours of college tennis at its highest level as Fernandes faced off against Zheng.
Zheng is not just a two-time NCAA singles champion, but a professional, currently ranked 154th in the world, who even competed in this year’s Australian Open and won a main draw match. When Zheng and Fernandes last met, at the ECAC Championships in February, the Columbia star triumphed over Fernandes with a 6-3, 6-3 victory.
Saturday’s rematch told a different story.
Fernandes won the first set in a tiebreak, 7-4, after both players served well and endured grinding points. The second set was identical — another tiebreak — but this time Zheng claimed it 7-5.
A third set would decide the match — and a ticket to the NCAA Tournament.
Fernandes broke Zheng to take a 5-3 lead, then served out the match. He finished on a volley winner, and right as the ball left his racket, his teammates had already stormed the court. The final score: 7-6 (4), 6-7 (5), 6-3.
“It means a lot to me,” Fernandes said. “It shows that all the work, all the hours on and off the court have been paying off and allowing me to get better. It was really good to have a match like this, so I can understand what the level is like and what I’m capable of, especially competing with a guy that is top 150 in the world for three hours.”
Fernandes credited his preparation. He had studied his earlier loss to Zheng and took the court Saturday with a clear strategic plan.
“I played him a few months ago, so I knew what to expect of him,” Fernandes said. “Approaching the match, I knew mentally I had to be focused on every single point because he’s the kind of player that if you give him a little bit of space, a little bit of time, he’s going to go for it and he’s going to destroy you..”
Head coach Silviu Tanasoiu said the result reflected Rodrigo’s “composure and trust in himself.”
“Against a player of that level, it comes down to decisions under pressure. Rodrigo stayed clear, stayed committed and competed with courage in the biggest moments,” Tanasoiu said.
Strokes of Support
The atmosphere at Reis Tennis Center was electric Saturday afternoon. The Cornell athletic community, including wrestlers, basketball players and squash players, supported the men’s tennis team and were vocal during the matches.
“The crowd was amazing, the atmosphere at Reis [Tennis Center] was unbelievable, the best I’ve played [in front of] so far,” Fernandes said after the match. “It definitely helped me a lot in the third set when I was cramping. Every time I won a point and saw the whole crowd celebrating and jumping, I would get a little boost of energy, enough to just keep me going.”
Coach Tanasoiu agreed.
“It made a real difference,” he said. “Our players felt it, especially in the tight moments late. There’s something powerful about competing at home in front of a crowd that’s fully invested. It gives you an extra edge when matches get uncomfortable.”
A Senior Day to Remember
Cornell’s victory was extra sweet for Teodorovic and Sharma, who celebrated Senior Day for the last home match of their collegiate careers. Both played all four years for the Red.
“Being a senior and clinching the Ivy League championship on my last ever match at home and on senior day, it's something that was beyond my wildest dreams,” Sharma said. “It was one of the most emotional days of my life and for it to come out with a win is something that's so special to me and something that I'm never going to forget for the rest of my life.”
Sharma also expressed his appreciation for playing Cornell tennis.
“I love this team. I love this university so much,” he said. “It's provided me with so many opportunities and introduced me to some of the most wonderful people I've ever met. My coaches, my teammates, they've all helped me grow.”
What Comes Next
With the 6-1 Ivy record, Cornell now shares the title with Columbia, but because of Saturday’s victory, Cornell will receive an automatic NCAA Tournament bid. Columbia could still make the tournament with an at-large selection. The Red will face the University of Arkansas in the first round of the 64-team tournament on May 1 in Athens, Georgia.
Coach Tanasoiu said he’s already looking forward to Georgia.
“This is a step forward, not the finish line,” he said.
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.
