Men’s Tennis Takes Down Bison to Open Spring Season

Friday, January 16

5:30 P.M.

Columbia University

Bucknell

Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Owen Cooper

Men’s Tennis Takes Down Bison to Open Spring Season

1/16/2026 9:07:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Results (PDF)

Three Lions record first career dual singles win

NEW YORK – The 10th-ranked Columbia men's tennis team kicked off its spring slate on Friday afternoon at the Philip & Cheryl Milstein Family Tennis Center, taking down visiting Bucknell, 7-0.

Columbia (1-0) made quick work of the Bison (0-1), taking the doubles point. In singles play, the Lions got strong performances from the back half of its lineup.

In the doubles point, the duo of Sachin Palta and Jordan Chang jumped out to an early 4-1 lead. With Bucknell serving, Palta and Chang essentially put the match away, breaking the Bisons' serve to go up 5-1. The Columbia duo held on to win 6-2.

On Court One, Nicolas Kotzen and Andrew Ena battled back and forth against Bucknell's duo of Amar Tahirovic and Brendan McDonald. With the match tied 3-3, Kotzen and Ena seized control, breaking serve to go up 4-3, and won the final two points to win 6-3.

With the doubles point already clinched, Columbia made it 3-0 in doubles play when the duo of Thanaphat Boosarawongse and Abhishek Thorat held on to defeat the duo of Adam Stavrakas and Will Robinson 7-6(7-4).

With Michael Zheng competing in the Australian Open this week, a trio of young Lions gained experience in singles play. Jung Hee You, Aditya Govila and Thorat all notched their first career dual singles win.

Govila defeated Nelson Alapi in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1. Thorat, another of Columbia's talented first years, defeated Brendan McDonald 6-2, 6-0 to give the Lions a 3-0 lead. Boosarawongse clinched the match with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Liam Kilmer.

Palta clinched the match with a straight-sets win over Stavrakas, 6-2, 6-2. The two sides played on, allowing Jung Hee You to finish his win over Will Robinson, winning 6-1, 7-5. Kotzen made it 7-0 in favor of the Lions, taking down the Tahirovic 6-2, 1-6, 6-3.

Columbia returns to action on Sunday afternoon when No. 18 South Carolina comes to the Philip & Cheryl Milstein Family Tennis Center. Sunday's match will be streamed on ESPN+.

RESULTS
Singles
1. #52 Nicolas Kotzen (COL) def. Amir Tahirovic (BUCK) 6-2, 1-6, 6-3
2. #65 Sachin Palta (COL) def. Adam Stavrakas (BUCK) 6-2, 6-2
3. Thanaphat Boosarawongse (COL) def. Liam Kilmer (BUCK) 6-2, 6-0
4. Abhishek Thorat (COL) def. Brendan McDonald (BUCK) 6-2, 6-1
5. Jung Hee You (COL) def. Will Robinson (BUCK) 6-1, 7-5
6. Aditya Govila (COL) def. Nelson Alapi (BUCK) 6-3, 6-1

Doubles
1. Nicolas Kotzen/Andrew Ena (COL) def. Amar Tahirovic/Brendan McDonald (BUCK) 6-3
2. Sachin Palta/Jordan Chang (COL) def. Liam Kilmer/Nelson Alapi (BUCK) 6-2
3. Thanaphat Boosarawongse/Abhishek Thorat (COL) def. Adam Stavrakas/Will Robinson 7-6 (7-4)

Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (6,4,3,2,5,1)

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