RIVER FOREST, Ill. – The Drake University men's tennis team was back in action over the weekend at the River Forest Collegiate Invitational hosted by Northern Illinois. The Bulldogs performed admirably, reaching six flight championships before darkness suspended Friday's matches and rain canceled Saturday's title rounds.
 
The duo of Alan Gonzalez and Sam Melaga were nails in doubles play with a pair of wins. They took down DePaul's Alex Haage and Tobias Leitner by a 6-3 margin before beating Butler's Riccardo Baldi and Shane Hand 7-6. Max Goldemberg and Jose Alessandro Hernandez also teamed up to pick up two wins over Alex Antonopoulos and Philip Polkemba of Western Michigan and Ronin Kasday and Wes Worobel of Butler.
 
Ulysse Verrando and Adan Tarquino also bounced back for a doubles victory after losing their first-round tilt. The Drake twosome earned a 6-3 win over Avi Mahajan and Nathan Tam of Wash U.
 
In the first singles flight, Drake's Hernandez won twice, beating Baldi of Butler in straight sets and Western Michigan's Anh Hoang La Pham in three. Gonzalez, Melaga, Verrando, and Matias Fernandez each picked up a pair of triumphs in singles competition.
 
In total, Drake went 15-5 as a team in River Forest. The Bulldogs were represented in six of the overall nine championship rounds despite not having the chance to complete the brackets due to weather. Fernandez was in position to be Drake's seventh finalist with a lead in his battle before darkness set in.
 
Drake will be back home for their next autumn event. The Bulldogs are ready to host the Drake Invite on Saturday, Oct. 3 in the Roger Knapp Tennis Center.
 
 
Tennis Match Results
River Forest Collegiate Invitational
Sep. 18-19, 2026 at River Forest Tennis Club
 
Singles Competition
Jose Alessandro Hernandez (DU) def. Riccardo Baldi (BUT) 7-5, 6-3
Jose Alessandro Hernandez (DU) def. Anh Hoang La Pham (WMU) 2-6, 6-3, 10-8
Alan Gonzalez (DU) def. Suo Nan (NIU) 2-6, 6-2, 10-7
Alan Gonzalez (DU) def. Ronin Kasday (BUT) 6-7(6), 7-5, 11-9
Sam Melaga (DU) def. Bernardo Vialle (DEP) 2-6, 6-0, 10-8
Sam Melaga (DU) def. Jerry Han (WASH) 6-3, 7-5
Matias Fernandez (DU) def. Hugh Perrill (MAR) 6-3, 6-3
Matias Fernandez (DU) vs. Valter Larsson (DEP) suspended
Aarav Nair (UIC) def. Arin Menon (DU)
Aidan Shokrani (NIU) def. Arin Menon (DU) 6-3, 7-6(7)
Yuanye Ma (WASH) def. Max Goldemberg (DU) 6-1, 6-3
Max Goldemberg (DU) vs. Nicholas Balthazor (BUT) suspended
Alex Yeager (DU) def. Gustavo Juarez (NIU) 6-1, 6-0
Ulysse Verrando (DU) def. Amesh Singh (BUT) 6-2, 6-3
Ulysse Verrando (DU) def. Yuanye Ma (WASH) 6-4, 6-1
 
Doubles Competition
Alan Gonzalez/Sam Melaga (DU) def. Alex Haage/Tobias Leitner (DEP) 6-3
Alan Gonzalez/Sam Melaga (DU) def. Riccardo Baldi/Shane Hand (BUT) 7-6(2)
Aarav Nair/Maxime Salesses (UIC) def. Ulysse Verrando/Adan Tarquino (DU) 7-5
Ulysse Verrando/Adan Tarquino (DU) def. Avi Mahajan/Nathan Tam (WASHU) 6-3
Nicholas Balthazor/Arnesh Singh (BUT) def. Arin Menon/Alex Yeager (DU) 6-3
Max Goldemberg/Jose Alessandro Hernandez (DU) def. Alex Antonopoulos/Philip Polkemba (WMU) 7-5
Max Goldemberg/Jose Alessandro Hernandez (DU) def. Ronin Kasday/Wes Worobel (BUT) 6-1