By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
 
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – In some ways. Friday was even harder for Baylor sophomore Devin Badenhorst than May 3, 2024, when he got the tragic news that his father and sister, Louwrense and Michelle Badenhorst, were killed in a car accident just hours before an NCAA first-round match against San Diego.
 
"I would say it's somewhat more difficult now," Baylor coach Michael Woodson said, "because it's really sunk in and you understand. And it's coming on the first anniversary, in the same place. Just under the circumstances, it's probably even harder now than it was a year ago for hm. And he handled it as best as he possibly could. And the other guys did as well. Super proud of them."
 
On another emotional day for Badenhorst and the Baylor men's tennis team, the 19^th-ranked Bears (23-10) wasted little time in defeating 41^st-ranked Nebraska, 4-1, Friday afternoon to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in the College Station Regional.
 
"I'm just incredibly proud of Devin," Woodson said of Badenhorst, who paired with Luc Koenig to clinch the doubles point with a 6-4 win over Anton Shepp and Henry Bilicic.
 
"I thought he did a great job of kind of losing himself in the match and staying focused on the task at hand. . . . it's just amazing to continue to watch the guys wrap their arms around him and make an impact on his life and make this very difficult circumstance as easy as it possibly can be. Really happy of the effort the guys put out there today."
 
Baylor will face former Big 12 rival and 16^th-seeded Texas A&M (17-10) at 2 p.m. Sunday at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center, with a trip to the super regional round on the line. The Aggies survived a marathon test from Rice to defeat the Owls, 4-2.
 
"I feel really good about this team," Woodson said. "I'm just happy to have the opportunity to coach them on another day. I think our goals stretch beyond this site. And if we show hard and we show everybody that we deserve it, that we have the team to be able to get back to Waco in a couple weeks."
 
In a match far different than the Bears' 4-2 win over the Cornhuskers (15-10) on Feb. 7 in Lincoln, which was decided by a three-setter at No. 2 singles, Baylor dominated this one from start to finish and was able to get off the courts in a little over 2 ½ hours.
 
Woodson said Nebraska had Baylor "on the ropes" in that first meeting, and "we have been talking about that match the whole year."
 
"We cannot look past any opportunity, any match, take anything lightly," he said. "Nebraska has earned this opportunity. They're a well-coached team, a senior-laden team. So, we really have been working hard to be ready for this momentum. And you never know, how are we going to show up? We've put such an emphasis on being ready to go. But our guys did a great job."
 
In doubles, Baylor's duo of Zsombor Velcz and Alexandru Chirita rolled over Nebraska's Nikolay Sysoev and Colson Wells, 6-2. The Nos. 1 and 2 spots were both deadlocked at 4-4, but the Bears got service breaks on both courts, with the 64^th-ranked duo of Badenhorst and Koenig serving it out to get the first point on the board.
 
"It's always good, out of the three, to get one where you just get up quick," Woodson said. "Even though the other two were really tight matches, and we were in tough positions at times, to get that first one puts pressure on the opponents, because they have to win both."
 
The Bears kept it rolling by winning five of the six first sets in singles. Velcz made quick work of 69^th-ranked Calvin Mueller at No. 2, 6-2, 6-1, before Leo Linquet picked up Nebraska's only point with a straight-set 6-1, 6-1 win over BU sophomore Louis Bowden at No. 6.
 
"I thought Z was fantastic today," Woodson said of Zsombor. "He played, in my opinion, their best player. He beat Devin in straight sets in February. So, to win (6-2, 6-1), that's really impressive. He's playing the best tennis of his life, and it's been fun to watch."
 
In a race to the finish, Chirita defeated Lars Johann, 6-2, 7-5, on Court 4, and Oskar Brostrom Poulsen clinched it with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Sysoev at No. 3. Badenhorst led Shepp, 7-6(6), 4-3, at No. 1, while Koenig split sets with Roni Hietaranta, 6-3, 3-6, on Court 5.
 
"Even though it was pretty competitive on the other courts, it was good to kind of get through there without too much stress," Woodson said. "Time on the court is massive. Even just watching the next match, Rice winning the doubles point, that's going to be a while. I think that takes a toll on you. So, the faster you can get off the court, the better. So, we'll take it." 
 

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – In the 31^st all-time meeting between the programs, No. 19 Baylor men's tennis (23-10, 6-2) defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers (15-10) 4-1 on Saturday at the NCAA College Station Regional.
 
The Bears rebounded from a loss to No. 10 Arizona in the Big 12 Semifinal, sending Nebraska home in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament. Saturday's victory was Baylor's second win in three months versus the Cornhuskers, defeating them in Lincoln in February.
 
In doubles, Zsombor Velcz and Alexandru Chirita made quick work of Nikolay Sysoev and Colson Wells on court three. They jumped out to an early lead, winning 6-2, while the No. 64 pairing of Devin Badenhorst and Luc Koenig showed poise in their win against Anton Shepp and Henry Bilicic, 6-4.
 
On court one, the No. 27 duo of Oskar Brostrom Poulsen and Marko Miladinovic went unfinished. They led Calvin Mueller and Lars Johann, 5-4, but the Bears led the Cornhuskers, 1-0.
 
With the momentum and a 1-0 lead, Baylor pushed the pace in singles. Chirita jumped on Johann early on court four, quickly taking the first set 6-2. Johann demonstrated resilience throughout the second set, but Chirita took the last two points, 6-2, 7-5.
 
Nebraska may have been down, but tit wasn't out. Louis Bowden struggled against Leo Linquet on court six, dropping both sets 6-1 to trim Baylor's lead to 2-1.
 
Meanwhile, on court two, No. 112 Velcz commanded his match against No. 69 Calvin Mueller, upsetting him 6-2, 6-1.
 
With the promise of clinching in the air, courts one, three and five remained. Ultimately, Brostrom Poulsen sealed it with a gritty win against Sysoev, 7-5, 6-4.
 
Both No. 33 Badenhorst and Luc Koenig went unfinished. Badenhorst led Shepp, 7-6 (8-6), 4-3, and Luc Koenig was preparing for his third set against Hietaranta 6-3, 3-6.

QUOTABLE
Baylor Head coach Michael Woodson on team's business-like approach — "Yeah, it definitely felt like that. They had us on the ropes in Lincoln in February. After a good doubles point, it was hard for, I don't know, a couple of hours. And really felt like it could be anyone's match. I know Oskar kind of went into that third set like, 'this is going to decide the match.' He played a great third set to clinch the match for us. So, we have been talking about that match the whole year. We have to be ready to play. We cannot look past any opportunity, any match, taking anything lightly. And Nebraska has earned this opportunity. They're a well-coached team, a senior-laden group. So, we really have been working hard to be to be ready for this moment. And you never know. How are we going to show up? We've put such an emphasis on, be ready to go. But our guys did a great job. I thought we started out hot on doubles. And it's always good, out of the three, to get one where you just get up quick. Alex and Z (Alexandru Chirita and Zsombor Velcz) did that on 3 doubles. They just kind of ran away with it. That usually relaxes everybody. And even though the other two were really tight matches, and we were in tough positions at times, to get that first on the board, it just puts so pressure on the opponents because they have to win both, that we eventually snuck out a break at 4-4 on both courts and were able to serve it out. So, that was awesome. And then, going into singles, Alex punched first on Court 4 and just got up big, which was awesome to see. And we were able to get a couple of early breaks on the other courts as well. Took a couple of quick sets, and then a couple of the sets that really came down to the end and were tight. Oskar and Dev were able to sneak those out. When you have five (first sets), you're feeling pretty good. And we were able to get up on some courts. And I thought Z (Zsombor) was fantastic today. He played, in my opinion, that's their best player. He's their highest-ranked guy and their highest UTR player. He beat Devin in straight sets in February. So, to win 2 and 1 (6-2, 6-1), that's really, really impressive from Z. He's playing the best tennis of his life, in my opinion. And it's been fun to watch. And then, it gets hard. But Alex had gotten up a break lead in the second, and so did Oskar. And they were able to pull out those sets pretty clean. So, even though it was pretty competitive on the other courts, it was good to kind of get through there without too much stress."
 
Baylor Head coach Michael Woodson on team's strong play with a quick turnaround: "Of course. Time on the court is massive. And even just watching the next match, Rice winning that (doubles) point, no matter who, that's going to be a while. And I think that takes a toll on you. So, the faster you can get off the court, the better. So, we'll take that. Given the circumstances, I'm just incredibly proud of Devin. I thought he did a great job of just kind of losing himself in the match and staying focused on the task at hand. We talked a lot about just how proud his dad and sister are of him, and they're watching over him, and they want him to be happy. And I think he did a great job. It's just amazing to continue to watch the guys wrap their arms around him and make an impact on his life and make this very difficult circumstance as easy as it possibly can be."
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Baylor will face 16th-seeded and 18th-ranked Texas A&M at 2 p.m. Sunday in the second round of the College Station regional. For the full bracket of the team championship, head to NCAA.com.
 
For the latest Baylor men's tennis team news, follow its official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts: @BaylorMTennis.