Penn men’s tennis finished its fall campaign earlier this month, picking up multiple victories each day at the Yale Invitational. Sophomores Matthew Rutter and Manfredi Graziani, and junior Tal Goodman stood out with impressive singles performances, as each secured a pair of victories. The duos of Graziani and freshman Luka Butera, along with Rutter and Goodman, contributed to the team's success in doubles.
As the dust settles on the opening part of the 2023-24 men's tennis season, Penn emerges as a strong competitor in the Ivy League, boasting an impressive string of victories in and out of the conference. The Quakers may have lost two dominant seniors from last season in Edoardo Graziani and Kevin Zhu, but the team brought a new look this season that is poised for continued success.
The season kicked off with the Penn Invitational, where the Quakers set the tone for their campaign with a remarkable display of dominance. Continuing home-court domination from the spring, Penn swept three matches 6-0 across the weekend. The tournament featured eight teams, with the Red and Blue emerging victorious in every encounter. The Quakers began the weekend with a convincing 5-2 win over Delaware, followed by a resounding 6-1 victory against local rival Temple, and culminated with a 5-2 triumph over Ivy League opponent Yale. Standout performances from Graziani, as well as freshmen Aaron Sandler and Parashar Bharadwaj — who all went undefeated in singles — showcased the team's depth.
The Quakers continued their winning streak at the Orange and Blue Classic hosted by the University of Virginia. Despite losing 4-3 to the host — and two-time defending NCAA Champion — Cavaliers, Penn began the tournament with a commendable 5-2 win against Virginia Tech on Friday. This weekend was one of reunions, as Edoardo Graziani, who transferred to Virginia as a graduate student, played against his former Penn teammates. Manfredi faced his brother in a doubles match, coming up brutally short in a tiebreaker. Bharadwaj and the doubles duo of sophomore Kian Vakili and Sandler shone, going undefeated throughout the weekend.
Penn continued to make waves as they secured multiple entries to the ITA Northeast Super Regional, hosted at Princeton. Senior Sameer Gangoli, Vakili, and Bharadwaj displayed stellar performances in the singles competition, while various doubles teams also showcased their skills. Penn had a significant presence in both singles and doubles brackets, with standout players advancing to the Round of 16.
After concluding their fall with the recent success at the Yale Invitational, the Quakers head into the winter offseason with confidence about what the spring can bring.
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