Friday, February 27
Las Vegas, NV
1:00 PM PT
University of Nevada Las Vegas
4
vs
1
Grand Canyon
Photo by: Lucas Peltier
Hot Start: Rebels Run Past Lopes In Conference Kickoff
2/27/2026 4:38:00 PM | Men's Tennis
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV men's tennis team opened Mountain West play with a decisive 4-1 win over No. 54 Grand Canyon on an unseasonably warm Friday afternoon at the Fertitta Tennis Complex.
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The Rebels remained perfect in five outings at home this season to improve to 7-4 overall while the Antelopes saw their seven-match win streak snapped in falling to 12-2 overall and 1-1 in the MW.
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The hosts actually had to rally in this one after suffering a stunning loss in doubles. UNLV's Illia Maksymchuk and Marko Maksimovic blanked Daniel Jankoski and Brice Patroux, 6-0, at the top of the lineup but the visitors came roaring back from trailing big on the other two courts to win, 7-5, at No. 3 and then in a tiebreaker, 7-6, at No. 2.
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Moving to singles play, four Rebels won their first sets and eventually ended things with all taking straight-setters. Maksimovic was done first, 6-3, 6-1, over Andreas Loizas at No. 2; Maksymchuk followed up with a 6-0, 6-3 victory over Jankoski at No. 3; Vitaliy Horovoy finished off Brice Patoux, 6-3, 6-4, at No. 5; and then Michael Kouame ended it with a 6-4, 6-4 triumph over Diordan Macababbad on court four. Both of the remaining matches had just split sets when they were abandoned.
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REBEL OF THE MATCH: Marko Maksimovic, already a two-time MW Freshman of the Week honoree, improved to 5-1 in singles and 3-1 in doubles as a rookie with a pair of dominant performances.
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UP NEXT:Â UNLV will return to its non-conference schedule by hosting Utah from the Big 12 Conference on Sunday starting with doubles play at 1 p.m. Admission to all matches at the Fertitta Tennis Complex is free of charge.
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Men's Tennis Match Results
UNLV 4, #54 GRAND CANYON 1
Feb. 27, 2026, at Las Vegas, NV
(Fertitta Tennis Complex)
Singles competition
1. #50 Ilia Snitari (UNLVMT) vs. Tristan Berard (GCU) 3-6, 6-4, unfinished
2. Marko Maksimovic (UNLVMT) def. Andreas Loizas (GCU) 6-3, 6-1
3. Illia Maksymchuk (UNLVMT) def. Daniel Jankoski (GCU) 6-0, 6-3
4. Michael Kouame (UNLVMT) def. Diordan Macababbad (GCU) 6-4, 6-4
5. Vitaliy Horovoy (UNLVMT) def. Brice Patoux (GCU) 6-3, 6-4
6. Taiyo Hirano (UNLVMT) vs. Charlie Pade (GCU) 3-6, 6-3, unfinished
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Doubles competition
1. Illia Maksymchuk/Marko Maksimovic (UNLVMT) def. Daniel Jankoski/Brice Patoux (GCU) 6-0
2. #90 Andreas Loizas/Tristan Berard (GCU) def. Taiyo Hirano/Michael Kouame (UNLVMT) 7-6 (7-2)
3. Tim Hohmann/Charlie Pade (GCU) def. Ilia Snitari/Vitaliy Horovoy (UNLVMT) 7-5
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Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (2,3,5,4)
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The Rebels remained perfect in five outings at home this season to improve to 7-4 overall while the Antelopes saw their seven-match win streak snapped in falling to 12-2 overall and 1-1 in the MW.
Â
The hosts actually had to rally in this one after suffering a stunning loss in doubles. UNLV's Illia Maksymchuk and Marko Maksimovic blanked Daniel Jankoski and Brice Patroux, 6-0, at the top of the lineup but the visitors came roaring back from trailing big on the other two courts to win, 7-5, at No. 3 and then in a tiebreaker, 7-6, at No. 2.
Â
Moving to singles play, four Rebels won their first sets and eventually ended things with all taking straight-setters. Maksimovic was done first, 6-3, 6-1, over Andreas Loizas at No. 2; Maksymchuk followed up with a 6-0, 6-3 victory over Jankoski at No. 3; Vitaliy Horovoy finished off Brice Patoux, 6-3, 6-4, at No. 5; and then Michael Kouame ended it with a 6-4, 6-4 triumph over Diordan Macababbad on court four. Both of the remaining matches had just split sets when they were abandoned.
Â
REBEL OF THE MATCH: Marko Maksimovic, already a two-time MW Freshman of the Week honoree, improved to 5-1 in singles and 3-1 in doubles as a rookie with a pair of dominant performances.
Â
UP NEXT:Â UNLV will return to its non-conference schedule by hosting Utah from the Big 12 Conference on Sunday starting with doubles play at 1 p.m. Admission to all matches at the Fertitta Tennis Complex is free of charge.
Â
Men's Tennis Match Results
UNLV 4, #54 GRAND CANYON 1
Feb. 27, 2026, at Las Vegas, NV
(Fertitta Tennis Complex)
Singles competition
1. #50 Ilia Snitari (UNLVMT) vs. Tristan Berard (GCU) 3-6, 6-4, unfinished
2. Marko Maksimovic (UNLVMT) def. Andreas Loizas (GCU) 6-3, 6-1
3. Illia Maksymchuk (UNLVMT) def. Daniel Jankoski (GCU) 6-0, 6-3
4. Michael Kouame (UNLVMT) def. Diordan Macababbad (GCU) 6-4, 6-4
5. Vitaliy Horovoy (UNLVMT) def. Brice Patoux (GCU) 6-3, 6-4
6. Taiyo Hirano (UNLVMT) vs. Charlie Pade (GCU) 3-6, 6-3, unfinished
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Doubles competition
1. Illia Maksymchuk/Marko Maksimovic (UNLVMT) def. Daniel Jankoski/Brice Patoux (GCU) 6-0
2. #90 Andreas Loizas/Tristan Berard (GCU) def. Taiyo Hirano/Michael Kouame (UNLVMT) 7-6 (7-2)
3. Tim Hohmann/Charlie Pade (GCU) def. Ilia Snitari/Vitaliy Horovoy (UNLVMT) 7-5
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Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (2,3,5,4)
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Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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