FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Guilford College men's tennis team opened its 2025 season in style at the Methodist Fall Invitational on Friday and Saturday, showcasing depth across the lineup and earning recognition for sportsmanship along the way.

Andres Mercedes (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) powered his way to another tournament title, defending his crown from a year ago. He opened play with a commanding 6-0, 6-3 victory over Averett's Satwik Kollepalli before battling through a tough semifinal against Kristoffer Dalbak (Mount Olive). Mercedes dropped the first set but responded with resilience, taking the match 3-6, 7-6, 7-3 to advance to the final.

In the championship, Mercedes faced Matthew Hurley (Methodist) in a tight contest. After falling 4-6 in the first set, the Quaker senior regrouped, sealing the title with a 6-3, 10-5 comeback win.

The duo of Mercedes and Emmanuel Oye (Clayton, N.C) delivered an early highlight for Guilford in Flight 2 doubles, taking down Methodist's Harry Crokam and Andrew Waddill in their opening match.

In the next round, Mercedes and Oye faced a tough test against Averett's Satwik Kollepalli and Aliaksandr Rudy. Despite strong rallies, the Quakers were edged out 6-3, closing their run in the semifinal round.

The Quakers' energy and togetherness stood out throughout the event, earning the squad the Spirit Award as voted on by the participating coaches.

After a strong season opener, the Guilford College men's tennis team returns to competition on September 26th and 27th at the Knapp Family Invitational, hosted by Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer, N.C.

#GoQuakes