ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Tristan Bradley dominated the third set to claim the 2024 NCAA Division III Men's Tennis Singles crown, defeating Kael Shah of Denison 6-4, 5-7, 6-0 on Tuesday morning.
Bradley became the second player in program history to win the singles title, joining Grant Urken (2018). The win puts an exclamation point on one of the most decorated careers in Polar Bear men's tennis history, as the two-time NESCAC Player of the Year ends his senior spring campaign with a record of 26-2.
On Tuesday, Bradley earned an early break to win the opening set by a 6-4 margin. He jumped to an early 4-1 edge in the second set before a dramatic rally by Shah gave the Denison sophomore a comeback 7-5 win to force a deciding third set.
However, that was as close as it would come, as Bradley dominated from the jump in the third, breaking Shah out of the gate and cruising to a 6-0 blanking to secure the crown.
The win caps an outstanding three-day performance by Bradley, who won four straight-set matches to reach Tuesday's final. The victories came on the heels of Bradley attending Bowdoin's Commencement ceremonies in Brunswick on Saturday morning, followed by a flight back to St. Louis on Saturday evening in time for the start of the tournament on Sunday.
Bradley is the third consecutive NESCAC player and eighth overall (all since 2002) to win the NCAA Singles Championship. He is also the fifth player from the conference in seven tournaments to claim the title.
NESCAC Results in NCAA Men's Singles & Doubles Championships
Singles First Round - May 26, 2024
Tristan Bradley (Bowdoin) def. Jacob Patterson (Denison) - 7-6 (7-3), 6-4
Vuk Vuksanovic (Tufts) def. Luke VanDonslear (UW-Whitewater) - 6-1, 6-1
Julian Wu (Middlebury) def. Nicolas Calixto (Redlands) - 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
Matthew Kandel (Williams) def. Oscar Roy (Southwestern) - 6-4, 6-4
Andreas Sillaste (Amherst) def. Caleb Wilkins (Chapman) - 6-2, 6-3
Singles Second Round - May 26, 2024
Tristan Bradley (Bowdoin) def. Michael Melnikov (Swarthmore) - 6-4, 6-3
Vuk Vuksanovic (Tufts) def. Dylan Walters (Brandeis)
Matthew Kandel (Williams) def. Julian Wu (Middlebury) - 6-4, 2-6, 7-5
Andreas Sillaste (Amherst) def. Eli Mizerski (George Fox) - 6-4 6-1
Singles Quarterfinal Round - May 27, 2024
Kael Shalin Shah (Denison) def. Matthew Kandel (Williams) - 4-6, 7-5, 6-2
Tristan Bradley (Bowdoin) def. Aiden Drover-Mattinen (RPI) - 7-5, 6-2
Vuk Vuksanovic (Tufts) def. Andreas Sillaste (Amherst) - 6-2, 6-3
Singles Semifinal Round - May 27, 2024
Tristan Bradley (Bowdoin) def. Vuk Vuksanovic (Tufts) - 7-5, 7-5
Singles Final Round - May 28, 2024
Tristan Bradley (Bowdoin) def. Kael Shalin Shah (Denison), 6-4, 5-7, 6-0
NCAA Singles Champion: Tristan Bradley, Bowdoin
Doubles First Round - May 26, 2024
Matthew Kandel/Nicholas Chen (Williams) def. Ian Freer/Matthew Robinson (CMS) - 6-2, 6-1
Ethan Green/Kael Shah (Denison) def. Neel Epstein/Robby Ward (Middlebury) - 6-2, 7-5
Tristan Bradley/Reid Staples (Bowdoin) def. Matthew Feng/Eshaan Lumba (Pomona-Pitzer) - 7-6(4), 6-3
Vishwa Aduru/Diego Maza (CWRU) def. Vuk Vuksanovic/Alex Ganchez (Tufts) - 7-6(2), 2-6, 6-4
Doubles Quarterfinal Round - May 27, 2024
Ethan Green/Kael Shah (Denison) def. Matthew Kandel/Nicholas Chen (Williams) - 6-2, 6-1
Aiden Drover-Mattinen/Andy Zhu (RPI) def. Vuk Vuksanovic/Alex Ganchev (Tufts) - 7-5, 7-5
Jordan Theron/Quinn Wicklund (Sewanee) def. Tristan Bradley/Reid Staples (Bowdoin) - 6-4, 6-7(2), 6-3
