Event: Joe Hunt Invite
Where: Annapolis, MD
When: Friday, September 12 – Sunday, September 14
ITA Tournament Link
 
Annapolis, Md. --  The George Mason University's men's tennis team begins its 2025 fall season this weekend at the Joe Hunt Invite in Annapolis, Md.
 
Tournament Information
The Patriots will compete in singles and doubles tournament action from Friday to Sunday at the United States Naval Academy. In addition to the host, Navy, George Mason will also compete against seven other teams: Coppin State, Delaware, Fairleigh Dickinson, Johns Hopkins, Mary Washington, Morgan State, and St. Bonaventure.
Tournament Schedule:
Friday
10 am: Two rounds of doubles
12 pm – 2 pm: Rotations of singles
 
Saturday
10:30 am: One round of doubles
11 am – 2 pm: Rotations of singles
 
Sunday
9 am – 2 pm: Rotations of singles
 
Returning Talent
George Mason returns five veteran student-athletes from the 2024-25 season. All Atlantic-10 First Team honors recipient, Ekansh Kumar, returns to the program as a senior after finishing last season with an overall singles record of 12-8.

Senior Monil Lotlikar also returns for his fourth season with the Patriots, where he has received All Atlantic-10 Second Team honors in all three years and achieved a 7-3 overall doubles record with Niza Simunyola last season. Simunyola also returns as a graduate student after completing the 2024-25 season with a 9-6 overall singles record. 

Sophomore Shari Saeed returns for the Patriots after nine singles wins and eleven doubles wins last season. Senior Zavan Fahim continues his stint with the Patriots for the fourth season after achieving nine overall wins in the 2024-25 season.
 
New Patriots
The Patriots also welcome four new additions to the program. Freshman Adria Franco from Lleida, Spain, joins the team after a successful junior career. He ranked in the top-350 U-16 players on the European continent, peaking at #322. 

Nicholas Novitski, a freshman from Frederick, Maryland, where he was a three-time Player of the Year, as well as a three-time all-county and all-region selection, joins the Patriots. He was a 2025 Maryland state champion, tallying an undefeated mark as a senior in the country and the region.

Mason also brings in freshman Edgar Vilain from Oakville, Ontario, where he peaked at the Top 25 in junior singles ranking. He also ranked #11 in junior doubles in Canada and achieved an ITF junior ranking of #788.

Adding experience to the team, junior Deniz Okyay from Ankara, Turkey, joins the team after his stint at Norfolk State, where he compiled a 29-13 singles record and was a two-time All-MEAC selection.
 
Up Next
George Mason Men's Tennis will compete at the Mary Washington Invitational in Fredericksburg, Va., from September 20 to September 21.