LOS ANGELES – The 22nd-ranked UCLA men’s tennis team dropped a 4-3 non-conference decision to No. 14 USC Saturday at David X. Marks Tennis Stadium. The match was decided on Court 6, where Niels Hoffmann provided the deciding win.

The Bruins (5-3) dropped the doubles point before charging back in singles play, where Spencer Johnson, Rudy Quan and Emon van Loben Sels all prevailed. Their efforts were not enough, though, as Andrin Casanova, Max Exsted and Hoffmann were victorious for the Trojans (8-3).

USC collected a pair of 6-4 wins to take the doubles point. No. 39 Casanova/Jack McCarthy defeated Johnson/Aadarsh Tripathi before Exsted/Nathan Trouve got the best of Quan/Bengt Reinhard.

No. 26 van Loben Sels took care of business against McCarthy on Court 3, posting a 6-4, 6-1 victory that tied the score. No. 105 Quan’s 7-5, 7-5 performance opposite Trouve on the second court put UCLA on top.

A back-and-forth Court 5 contest ultimately went the way of Casanova, who downed Tripathi 1-6, 6-0, 7-5. The Trojans then went back in front with Exsted’s 6-3, 7-6(3) win versus Andy Nguyen on Court 4.

No. 61 Johnson evened things one last time, overcoming Branko Djuric in a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 display. With all eyes on Court 6, though, Hoffman proved too much in a 7-6(6), 1-6, 6-1 result.

The Bruins head south next week for a Thursday, Feb. 26 meeting with No. 9 San Diego. First serve from Skip and Cindy Hogan Tennis Center is scheduled for 12 p.m. PT. UCLA will also be making its annual appearance at the Pacific Coast Doubles Championship in La Jolla, Calif. The La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club hosts the event.

Tennis Match Results

UCLA vs USC

2/21/2026 at Los Angeles, CA

(David X. Marks Tennis Stadium)

#14 USC 4, #22 UCLA 3

Singles competition

1. #61 Spencer Johnson (UCLA) def. Branko Djuric (USC) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3

2. #105 Rudy Quan (UCLA) def. Nathan Trouve (USC) 7-5, 7-5

3. #26 Emon van Loben Sels (UCLA) def. Jack McCarthy (USC) 6-4, 6-1

4. Max Exsted (USC) def. Andy Nguyen (UCLA) 6-3, 7-6 (7-3)

5. Andrin Casanova (USC) def. Aadarsh Tripathi (UCLA) 1-6, 6-0, 7-5

6. Niels Hoffmann (USC) def. Cassius Chinlund (UCLA) 7-6 (8-6), 1-6, 6-1

Doubles competition

1. #39 Andrin Casanova/Jack McCarthy (USC) def. Spencer Johnson/Aadarsh Tripathi (UCLA) 6-4

2. Connor Church/Branko Djuric (USC) vs. Gianluca Ballotta/Emon van Loben Sels (UCLA) 5-3, unfinished

3. Max Exsted/Nathan Trouve (USC) def. Rudy Quan/Bengt Reinhard (UCLA) 6-4

Match Notes:

UCLA 5-3; National ranking #22

USC 8-3; National ranking #14

Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (3,2,5,4,1,6)