Dallas TX–
“It’s awesome,” said Berque, who led Texas to its first NCAA team championship in 2019. “To be honest, I’m surprised, especially because I didn’t think we could hold up physically. But the boys were super, super strong and I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
Texas showed that strength in doubles, with all three matches decided in a tiebreaker. Ohio State’s Alex Okonkwo and Alex Bernard had four match points in two separate matches against Ivanovski and Abel Forger on Line 1; on line 2, Buckeyes Nikita Filin and Brandon Carpico had a match point against Sebastian Gorzny and Lucas Marionneau at 4-5, and on line 3, Ohio State’s Bryce Nakashima and Aidan Kim also had a match point at 4-5, against Oliver Ojakaar and Sebastian Eriksson.
But Texas saved all six and went on to win the tiebreaks 7-6(5) at 2 and 7-6(3) at 3 to take the lead.
Texas, which had lost the point in doubles when they dropped a 4-1 decision to Ohio State late last month in Columbus, knew the Buckeyes would immediately bounce back from the frustration of those missed opportunities in doubles.
“I wouldn’t expect anything less from Ohio State,” said Berque, who watched his team lose four first sets in singles. “And I also think that if you stand with your back against the wall, you come out swinging.”
The Buckeyes certainly did that, getting the first sets from Nikita Filin on line 6, Bryce Nakashima on line 5, Jack Anthrop on line 3 and Alexander Okonkwo on line 4.
Okonkwo was making his singles debut this tournament, but Ohio State head coach Ty Tucker liked his matchups at Line 5 and Line 6 with Okonkwo, who in tonight’s lineup had been moved from fourth in the three previous matches.
Whether Tucker expected a point from Okonkwo is anyone’s guess, but the junior, a transfer from Tulsa, delivered one, beating Sebastian Eriksson 7-6(1), 6-2. That point tied the score at 2, with Jack beating Anthrop Forger 6-3, 6-2 on Line 3 to put Ohio State on the board and Sebastian Gorzny giving Texas its second point with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Aidan Kim on Line 1.
Meanwhile, Texas, needing at least one split to move on a path to four points, had earned two, with Marionneau taking the second set from Filin on line 6 and Ojakaar taking the second set from Nakashima on line 5. The third match remaining, on Court 2, was still tied at 3–3 in the second set, while Kalinovski took the first set from Preston Stearns in a tiebreak.
On line 6, Filin, who had not lost a doubles match all season, fell behind 0-40 at 3-4, and although he forced a decisive point, Marionneau took it and went 40-0 for the match at 5-3. Once again Filin forced a deuce point, and again Marionneau won it, with a good first serve and his backhand approach behind Filin for a winner, leaving Texas 3–2.
Ojakaar led 3-2 in the third set on line 5, while Stearns saved two break points at 3-4 in the second set to prevent Ivanovski from serving for the match. But Ivanovski’s huge first serve made his next serve easy, and at 4-5, Stearns trailed 15-30. After scoring a forehand to give Ivanovski three match points, Stearns saved the first, when Ivanovski sent his forehand pass long, but Ivanovski’s second service return forced another netted forehand from Stearns, and the Longhorns had their title.
Ivanovski, who joined the team this spring after nearly two years of battling hip and back injuries, celebrated his victory by taking off his shirt and leading his teammates in a run around the courts, a scenario he couldn’t have imagined three months ago.
“The injuries are one of the reasons I chose university, and I’m very happy I did because this is a great experience,” said the 21-year-old from Macedonia, who has a career-high ATP ranking of 305. “I really love it, it’s something completely new for me.”
Ohio State head coach Ty Tucker was impressed with Ivanovski’s ability to get the ace or service winner when he needed it most.
“Ivanovski came up big; it felt like eight or nine aces or service winners on eight or nine break points,” Tucker said. “That was a high-quality match, and that man came up with it.”
Ivanovski, who admits his fitness is not yet where he should be, said encouragement from his teammates helped when he needed a boost of energy.
“As for the important points, when I felt tired, I just talked a lot of positive things,” Ivanovski said. “The guys get it out of me because you’re not just playing for yourself, you’re playing for the whole team. I can’t even explain the feeling, it’s just incredible. It’s nothing like playing on the pro tour. It’s amazing and I’m very proud of the guys.”
Berque, who was confident that improving health would allow his team to achieve these types of results, can now raise his expectations as they enter the SEC season this weekend.
“My goal was to win two games at this tournament and not get hurt worse than us,” Berque said. “We won four and they seem to be feeling good, so we have extra credit, I think. It was a great competitive match.”
After his team suffered its first loss of the season after three close wins to reach the finals, Tucker was philosophical in assessing the loss.
“It’s the bee’s nose here and the bee’s nose there,” Tucker said of the tight margins in this era of college tennis. “We came out on top against SMU and Stanford, Virginia, and that’s part of it. But we’re going to get back, get healthy and get ready to play some more tennis.”
As the Longhorns posed for photos with NBA Hall of Famer and former Dallas Maverick Dirk Nowitski and Dallas native John Isner, all Burnt Orange fans are in attendance for the first national indoor title in program history and the entire state and country are dreaming of another national title in Athens in May.
ITA Division I Men’s Team Indoor Championships
Finals, Tuesday February 17, 2026
Styslinger/Altec Tennis Complex, SMU
Texas[3] D. Ohio State[1] 4-2
Doubles:
1. Alex Okonkwo and Alexander Bernard(OSU) vs. Abel Forger and Kalin Ivanovski(TEX) 7-6(6-5), unf
2. Sebastian Gorzny and Lucas Marionneau (TEX) d. Brandon Carpico and Nikita Filin (OSU) 7-6 (5)
3. Sebastian Eriksson and Oliver Ojakaar(TEX) d. Aidan Kim and Bryce Nakashima(OSU) 7-6(3)
Order of finishing: 2, 3,
Singles:
1. Sebastian Gorzny (TEX) d. Aidan Kim (OSU) 6-4, 6-4
2. Kalin Ivanovski(TEX) d. Preston Stearns (OSU) 7-5, 6-4
3. Jack Anthrop (OSU) d. Abel Forger (TEX) 6-3, 6-2
4. Alex Okonkwo (OSU) d. Sebastian Eriksson (TEX) 7-6(1), 6-2
5. Bryce Nakashima(OSU) vs. Oliver Ojakaar(TEX) 6-3, 3-6, 2-2, unf.
6. Lucas Marionneau(TEX) d. Nikita Filin (OSU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
Order of finishing: 3, 1, 4, 6, 2
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