Baylor Men’s Tennis Stuns No. 9 UCF with Dominant Sweep, Advances to ITA Quarterfinals
WACO, Texas - Don’t look now, but Baylor men’s tennis is heating up - and fast. The No.
19 Bears delivered a commanding 4-0 sweep over No. 9 UCF on Friday afternoon in the first round of the ITA National Team Indoor Championship, punching their ticket to the quarterfinals with authority.
This win wasn’t just another notch in the win column - it marked Baylor’s second straight victory over a top-10 opponent, following their earlier takedown of No. 8 Texas A&M.
That’s a feat the program hasn’t pulled off since 2021. And to do it in such dominant fashion?
That’s the kind of statement that gets the rest of the college tennis world paying attention.
A Doubles Shake-Up That Paid Off
Coming into the match, Baylor opted for a fresh look in doubles - and the new combinations clicked right away. Alexandru Chirita and Zsombor Velcz wasted no time setting the tone, steamrolling their opponents with a clinical 6-1 win. On Court Three, Blake Anderson and Devin Badenhorst followed suit, locking in a 6-3 win to secure the doubles point for the Bears before Court One even had a chance to finish.
It was a bold call to shuffle the pairings, especially with limited time to prepare following the Texas A&M match. But it worked. The Bears brought energy, chemistry, and poise to the court - and it showed.
“We’ve been talking a lot about doubles,” said Luc Koenig after the match. “We made some adjustments, even though we didn’t have much time to practice them.
Devin’s been rehabbing, so we weren’t sure how much he’d be able to contribute. But the guys stepped up.
Communication was sharp, and we came out with the right presence.”
Singles Play: All Business
Once singles play began, Baylor didn’t let up. The Bears captured five of six first sets, immediately putting UCF on the defensive and keeping the pressure on.
Devin Badenhorst, who’s been working through an ankle issue, showed no signs of slowing down. He cruised to a 6-4, 6-2 win on Court One, giving Baylor its second point and setting the tone for the rest of the match.
Louis Bowden followed with a dominant performance of his own on Court Six, winning 6-4, 6-1 and stretching the lead to 3-0. Then it was Luc Koenig’s turn. Locked in a tight second-set tiebreak on Court Five, Koenig came through in the clutch, closing it out 6-4, 7-6(3) to clinch the match for the Bears.
It was a complete team effort - and one that showed just how deep and dangerous this Baylor squad can be when everything clicks.
Confidence Building, Momentum Growing
For a program with high aspirations, this back-to-back stretch against top-10 opponents could be a turning point. It’s not just about the wins - it’s about how they’re winning. Fast starts in doubles, composed singles play, and a team that looks increasingly confident in each other’s ability to deliver.
“This feels like a complete team,” Koenig said. “These guys believe in themselves, but more importantly, they believe in each other.
We’ve taken some tough losses earlier this year, but I think they’ve helped us grow. We’re starting to raise our standard, and that’s what you want to see.”
What’s Next
Baylor moves on to the quarterfinals of the ITA Indoor Championship, set for Saturday at 3:30 p.m. CT. With momentum on their side and confidence building, the Bears are playing some of their best tennis of the season - and they’re doing it at the right time.
Match Results
Doubles
- Court 2: Zsombor Velcz / Alexandru Chirita (BU) def.
Mehdi Benchakroun / Wissam Abderrahman (UCF), 6-1
- Court 3: Blake Anderson / Devin Badenhorst (BU) def.
Luca Hotze / Nicolas Oliveira (UCF), 6-3
- Court 1: Connor Van Schalkwyk / Luc Koenig (BU) vs.
Colin Paul / Yassine Dlimi (UCF), 4-4 (15-40), unfinished
Order of Finish: 2, 3
Singles
- Court 1: Devin Badenhorst (BU) def.
Yassine Dlimi (UCF), 6-4, 6-2
- Court 6: Louis Bowden (BU) def.
Clement Lemire (UCF), 6-4, 6-1
- Court 5: Luc Koenig (BU) def.
Paul Colin (UCF), 6-4, 7-6(3)
- Court 2: Zsombor Velcz (BU) vs.
Wissam Abderrahman (UCF), 7-5, 3-3, unfinished
- Court 3: Connor Van Schalkwyk (BU) vs.
Mehdi Benchakroun (UCF), 6-3, 5-6, unfinished
- Court 4: Alexandru Chirita (BU) vs.
Pedro Rodrigues (UCF), 5-7, 6-2, 0-0, unfinished
Order of Finish: 1, 6, 5
The Bears are rolling. And if they keep playing like this, they’re going to be a tough out for anyone standing in their way.