Mobile, AL - The season came to a close for the #8 University of the Cumberlands men's tennis team on Thursday morning as the Patriots fell 4-1 to top-seeded Georgia Gwinnett College in the quarterfinal round of the 2026 NAIA Men's Tennis National Championship at the Mobile Tennis Center.
The Grizzlies claimed the doubles point with wins at the top two positions before securing three singles victories to advance. Georgia Gwinnett improved to 23-0 on the season, while the Patriots concluded the year with a 17-9 record and their second consecutive appearance in the NAIA Quarterfinals.
In doubles play, the Patriots battled against the nation's top-ranked squad but came up short in completed matches. At No. 1 doubles, Mohammed Abuzed Saber and Jacopo Cianfarini fell 6-1 to Santiago Villarruel and Luis Francisco Sampedro, while Darius Kuster and Gabriele Solda dropped a 6-2 decision at the No. 2 position. The No. 3 doubles match featuring Manuel Fernandez Guede and Kesia Roi was left unfinished at 4-3.
Cumberlands picked up its lone team point at No. 5 singles as Roi delivered a dominant straight-set victory, defeating Luka Vuglar 6-1, 6-2 to tie the match 1-1.
At the top singles spot, Cianfarini opened with a strong first-set performance and took the opener 6-1 before Sampedro rallied to win the next two sets 6-1, 6-0. Kuster battled at No. 2 singles but fell in straight sets, while Thibaud Vivier dropped a competitive match at No. 4 singles.
Two additional Patriot singles matches were left unfinished when the clinching point was secured. Solda was locked in a tight contest at No. 3 singles after splitting the opening two sets, while Abuzed Saber was in the middle of a third set battle at No. 6 singles.
The Patriots wrap up another successful season with a 17-win campaign, an MSC Tournament Runner-Up, and a return trip to the NAIA National Championship Quarterfinals.
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