Blue Devils Storm Back, Top Florida State 4-3

Friday, April 3

Tallahassee, Fla.

6 p.m.

Duke University

Florida State

Duke men's tennis' Alexander Visser fist pumps and yells in celebration during the Blue Devils' 4-0 victory against NC State on March 27, 2026.

Photo by: Duke Athletics

Blue Devils Storm Back, Top Florida State 4-3

4/3/2026 9:58:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – For nearly four hours on Friday evening, the Duke and Florida State men's tennis teams battled tooth and nail as the Blue Devils came back from a 3-1 deficit to claim a 4-3 victory.

The No. 44 Blue Devils dropped the doubles point and trailed by at least three games in four singles first sets before clawing back with a trio of three-set tiebreaker victories. With Duke down 3-1, Gerard Planelles Ripoll, Pedro Rodenas and Alexander Visser each won to bring the Blue Devils all the way back. Planelles Ripoll and Rodenas each trailed by at least two games in the third sets before forcing tiebreakers.

With the victory, Duke improves to 10-11 overall and 5-6 in ACC play.

HOW IT HAPPENED

No. 50 Florida State quickly took the doubles point with wins on courts three and two. In the third slot, Luis Felipe Miguel and Gabor Hornung earned the first doubles decision with a 6-2 victory against Dylan Long and Alexander Visser. Florida State's pair led 3-0 and 4-1 before holding off the Blue Devils for the set.
The Seminoles picked up the doubles point on court two, where Mohammad Alkotop and Justin Lyons topped Cooper Williams and Teddy Truwit, 6-3. After a 1-1 tie, the FSU pair went on a three-game run to seize control with a 4-1 advantage before closing out for the victory.
On court six, Florida State's Lyons quickly made it 2-0 as he dispatched Saahith Jayaraman, 6-1, 6-3. Jayaraman regrouped in the second set and was even at 1-1, 2-2 and 3-3 before Lyons ran off the final three for the match.
Duke cut the deficit in half on court two, where No. 47 Williams topped No. 120 Corey Craig, 6-3, 6-2. After ties at 1-1, 2-2 and 3-3 in the opening set, Williams took the final three games. In the second set, Williams broke a 1-1 tie and took a 3-1 advantage. Craig made it 3-2, but Williams again took the last three games to secure the match. Williams improved to 11-4 in dual action and 7-0 in ACC competition.
The Seminoles regained the two-point cushion at 3-1 on court five with Azariah Rusher squeaking past Long, 6-3, 7-6 (3). Long trailed 4-1 in the opening set before cutting the deficit to 4-3. Rusher answered with the final two games to send it to the second set. With Long leading 4-3 in the second, Rusher claimed the next two to go up 5-4. Long had the answer and won the next two for a 6-5 lead. Rusher again replied and set the match to the tiebreaker, where he tallied the win.
The Blue Devils tacked on another point to trail 3-2 overall in the third slot as Gerard Planelles Ripoll claimed a marathon match against No. 93 Erik Schiessl, 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (5). After trailing 4-0 and 5-1 in the first set, Planelles Ripoll bounced back and breezed through the second. Planelles Ripoll kept the momentum going in the third set and took a 2-0 lead, only to drop the next five and trail 5-2. He then won four straight to take a 6-5 advantage. Schiessl regrouped and forced a tiebreaker, which he led 4-2. From there, Planelles Ripoll claimed five of the final six points the secure the victory. Planelles Ripoll upped his overall record to 8-7 and his league ledger to 5-3.
Duke tied the match at 3-3 from court one as No. 50 Pedro Rodenas slipped past No. 96 Miguel, 7-6 (0), 2-6, 7-6 (4). Rodenas trailed 3-1 in the opening set before going up 4-3. Miguel then won the next two for a 5-4 lead. The two were even at 5-5 and 6-6 and headed to a tiebreaker, which Rodenas prevailed in by blanking Miguel. Miguel flew through the second set and led 5-0 in the third before Rodenas stormed back and forced a tiebreaker. Rodenas took a 3-1 lead in the tiebreaker before Miguel evened it at 3-3. With the tiebreaker knotted at 4-4, Rodenas tore through the last three points to secure the win. Rodenas improved to 13-3 in dual competition and 7-3 in ACC matches.
The overall decision came to a tiebreaker in a third set on court four with Visser downing Alkotop, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (4). Visser trailed 4-1 in the opening set before ripping off the last five games. In the second set, Visser led 3-1 but Alkotop flew back with the last five games to force a deciding set. Visser trailed 2-0 and rallied to even the deciding set at 2-2. From there, neither side led by more than a game in heading to the tiebreaker. Visser hopped ahead 4-0 in the tiebreaker and Alkotop never got closer than two points to give Duke the victory. Visser upped his dual match singles record to 5-7 while securing his first ACC singles triumph of the campaign.

UP NEXT

Duke wraps up its road weekend at Miami with a 3 p.m. Sunday first serve.

RESULTS
Doubles (3,2)
1. Pedro Rodenas/Gerard Planelles Ripoll (DU) vs. #55 Jan Sebesta/Erik Schiessl (FSU) 4-4, unfinished
2. Mohammad Alkotop/Justin Lyons (FSU) def. Cooper Williams/Teddy Truwit (DU) 6-3
3. Luis Felipe Miguel/Gabor Hornung (FSU) def. Dylan Long/Alexander Visser (DU) 6-2

Singles (6,2,5,3,1,4)
1. #50 Pedro Rodenas (DU) def. #96 Luis Felipe Miguel (FSU) 7-6 (7-0), 2-6, 7-6 (7-4)
2. #47 Cooper Williams (DU) def. #120 Corey Craig (FSU) 6-3, 6-2
3. Gerard Planelles Ripoll (DU) def. #93 Erik Schiessl (FSU) 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5)
4. Alexander Visser (DU) def. Mohammad Alkotop (FSU) 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-4)
5. Azariah Rusher (FSU) def. Dylan Long (DU) 6-3, 7-6 (7-3)
6. Justin Lyons (FSU) def. Saahith Jayaraman (DU) 6-1, 6-3

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