Lansing Sun

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State men's tennis freshman Matthew Forbes was defeated in the first round of the main draw of the 2024 US Open on Tuesday at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadow, New York.

Forbes lost a hard-fought match to Roman Safiullin, 4-6, 6-7 (2), 2-6, relinquishing a 5-2 lead in the second set. Safiullin posted a 77 percent first serve win percentage with seven aces, while Forbes had a 62 percent first serve win percentage with five aces.

The match was played in front of a packed gallery on Court 4 filled with a large contingent of Spartan fans, who rotated chants of "Go Green! Go White!" and "Let's Go Matthew!"

Forbes is the first current Spartan to qualify for the tournament, along with being only the second Spartan ever and the first since Mashiska Washington played in the 1999 US Open. Washington was a two-year letterwinner at MSU in 1993-94 and was MSU's first-ever ITA All-American in 1994 after qualifying for the NCAA Championships that same year.

The Spartan earned his wild card entry by winning the singles title at the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Boys' 18-Under National Championships in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on Aug. 11 at Kalamazoo College's Stowe Stadium.

Forbes was accompanied to New York by MSU men's tennis head coach Harry Jadun, Coach Matsuno, and other members of the Spartan coaching staff, along with his hitting partner, junior Ozan Baris.