Men's Tennis Team Photo 2025
Jessica Sconyers

SEASON RECAP: Men's Tennis 2024-25

By Joseph Garwood: Director of Athletic Communications

2024-25 PIEDMONT MEN'S TENNIS SEASON RECAP

  • Piedmont delivered a 13-12 overall record including a 4-2 mark in the CCS.
  • For the third consecutive season, the Lions reached the CCS Tournament Final.
  • To reach that final, Piedmont ousted No. 2 seed Covenant in a thrilling 4-1 semifinal victory.
  • Yannick Wassmer Navarro set a new single-season program record with 19 overall doubles wins.
  • Piedmont's first win came in the fall, defeating Division II Shorter.
2024-25 Schedule & Results
MTEN Team Huddle 2025

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

  • In a match that had numerous twists and turns, the Lions prevailed 4-3 over the Falcons as Charles Parnell was able to close out a win in a hard-fought third set win.
  • Doubles proved to be a precursor to the rest of the match, with the Lions falling behind a break at No. 1 and No. 3. However, it was a quick break and then a 6-3 win at No. 2 for Piedmont's Leyton Dunn and Connor Phelps to ensure the Lions needed to flip just one of the two remaining matches to take the doubles point.
  • Mark Backeberg and Simon Johnstone got the decisive win at No. 3, roaring back to win 7-5. Then, with the doubles point already on the board, Yannick Wassmer Navarro and Parnell delivered a dominant performance in the tiebreak to win 7-6 (2) at No. 1.
  • The Lions took the first singles point as Bryce VanOrder's opponent was forced to retire due to injury at No. 3.
  • Shortly after, Wassmer Navarro closed out a 6-4, 6-2 victory at No. 2 to put the Lions within a point of clinching the win.
  • That set the stage for Parnell, who had come from behind to win the first set, 6-4, and then lost a tiebreaker in the second (7-5) to force the match to a deciding third.
  • Parnell was dominant early in the third set, serving for the match at 5-2. However, after he was broken by his opponent, he still had the match on his racket at 5-4, when he was able to close the door to win at No. 4 and move the Lions to 4-3 on the season.

Full Recap | Box Score

  • Although the Scots did not go away quietly, the Lions prevailed late in both singles and doubles to pull away for the win.
  • The duo of Charles Parnell and Yannick Wassmer Navarro continued their strong doubles play together, putting away a quick 6-1 win at No. 2.
  • Needing just one of the remaining two matches to clinch the doubles point, Mark Backeberg and Amir Latipov earned a late break and made it 1-0 Piedmont with a 6-3 win at No. 3.
  • Just like in doubles, Parnell was helpful in a key early win, rolling 6-4, 6-2 at No. 2 to give the Lions a 2-0 advantage.
  • Backeberg battled back to win a hard-fought battle at No. 3, 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2 to put Piedmont one match away from clinching.
  • By that point, Rohan Kavali had taken the court at No. 4 and was in control, on his way to a match-clinching 6-2, 6-1 win.

Full Recap | Box Score

  • No. 3 doubles turned out to be a preview of things to come as Mark Backeberg and Rohan Kavali trounced Gill Dunn and Jackson Orsega 6-1. While both No. 1 and No. 2 doubles were closely contested, the Lions needed just one of them to clinch the first point of the match, and the No. 2 team of Connor Phelps and Charles Parnell were up to the task, winning 6-4.
  • Bryce VanOrder rallied at No. 3 from down 3-0 in the first set to win a first set tiebreak and then cruise late in the second to earn a 7-6 (1), 6-3 victory and put the Lions back in front.
  • Minutes later, Parnell outlasted Caleb Domkowski in a nearly two hour three-setter 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 to put Piedmont on the brink of a match clinch.
  • That win came from Backeberg, who battled back from dropping the first set to win the second and then clinch the match (5-7, 6-4, 2-2, retired) as his opponent was forced to retire in the middle of the third set. 

 

Full Recap | Box Score

THE SENIORS

Senior Spotlight: Men's Tennis
Bryce VanOrder
Yannick Wassmer Navarro - Senior Spotlight
Connor Phelps - Senior Spotlight
Simon Johnstone - Senior Spotlight
JC Foster - Senior Spotlight

THE STANDOUT PERFORMERS

Three from Men's Tennis Take Home All-CCS Honors
Yannick Wassmer Navarro - CCS All-Tournament Team
Charles Parnell - CCS All-Tournament Team
Yannick Wassmer Navarro
Bryce VanOrder - All c
Connor Phelps - All C
Leyton Dunn - CCS Rookie of the Week 04.22.25
Yannick Wassmer Navarro - Doubles Team of the Week 04.15.25
Simon Johnstone - Doubles Team of the Week 04.15.25
Charles Parnell - CCS Doubles 03.25.25
Horacio Rodriguez - AOTW 03.18.25
Artiom Anzhilov AOTW - 3.4.245
Mark Backeberg - Doubles Team of the Week 02.25.25

THE STUDENT ATHLETES

Four From Men's Tennis Earn CSC Academic All-District Honors
Connor Phelps - CSC
Charles Parnell - CSC
Yannick Wassmer Navarro - CSC
Mark Backeberg

THE PHOTOS

Yannick Wassmer Navarro
Charles Parnell
Mark Backeberg
JC Foster
Simon Johnstone
Rohan Kavali
Amir Latipov
Piedmont University Athletics. (Photo: Mooreshots LLC)
Yannick Wassmer Navarro
Mark Backeberg
JC Foster
Leyton Dunn
Amir Latipov
Horacio Rodriguez
Charles Parnell
Piedmont University Athletics. (Photo: Mooreshots LLC)
Piedmont University Athletics. (Photo: Mooreshots LLC)
Rohan Kavali
Rohan Kavali
Mark Backeberg
Mark Backeberg
Connor Phelps
Charles Parnell
Caleb McElveen
Bryce VanOrder
Brent Sherman
Amir Latipov
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