Murali and Blokhin Exit the Men’s ITA All-American Championships

Following successful individual campaigns at the men’s tennis team’s fall season opening tournament, senior Rohan Murali and sophomore Nathan Blokhin strove to continue their winning momentum. After Chowderfest, the duo avoided the dreary Northeastern weather by flying westward to Tulsa, Okla., where they vied for All-American status at the 2026 ITA All-American Championships.

Blokhin, last year’s unanimous Ivy League Rookie of the Year, had a stellar spring season en route to a 24-7 singles record. Often locking down the third court for the Crimson last season, Blokhin finished the year as one of two Harvard players ranked among the nation’s top 100. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native concluded his rookie campaign ranked 81st in the country.

The other Crimson player in the top 100 was No. 49 Murali. Murali posted a solid 20-10 record last season and was often unstoppable on the second court for Harvard. Murali also had significant success in doubles, regularly snagging clutch wins for the Crimson.

For Murali and Blokhin, ranked again this season at Nos. 25 and 44, respectively, big tournaments like the ITA All-American Championships provide a springboard for national recognition and a chance to improve their rankings. However, the Sooner State proved to be a difficult environment for both players.

For the senior, the tournament draw was a bit unlucky, as he was forced to play a high-seeded player in the first round. In a gritty top-25 matchup against UCLA’s No. 22 Emon van Loben Sels, Murali played well in both sets but eventually fell in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4. Sels was the 14th seed in the bracket.

Following his first-round loss, Murali dropped into the consolation bracket, where he faced off against the University of Virginia’s No. 78 Luca Preda. Although he is ranked lower than Murali, the rookie Cavalier has one of the best World Tennis Numbers in the country. The six-foot-seven-inch-tall Romanian utilized his height as he battled Murali in a lopsided three-set affair. Murali eventually fell 6-2, 2-6, 6-1 and exited the tournament.

Blokhin’s first-round matchup was against Wake Forest’s No. 104 Dominick Mosejczuk. The Deacon sophomore proved difficult for Blokhin to overcome, as he fell in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2. Mosejczuk seized momentum early, as Blokhin seemed to be on the back foot throughout.

In his consolation match, however, Blokhin faced off against No. 75 Azariah Rusher, a hard-hitting senior from Florida State University. In a 180-degree turn from his first-round matchup, Blokhin cleaned up his unforced errors and handily defeated Rusher 6-4, 6-4. The Crimson player survived until the second round of the consolation bracket, where he ran into No. 12 Preston Stearns. The senior Ohio State Buckeye defeated Blokhin in a close first-set tiebreaker before running away with the second set, 7-6(2), 6-0.

Despite a string of tough losses, Blokhin and Murali are strong players who will be essential for Harvard’s success as a team in the spring. With a top-notch incoming freshman class and a deep roster, the Crimson needs to use the fall to gear up for national success in the spring, especially after missing the NCAA Tournament last season.

The Harvard team now has a well-deserved break before it hosts the ITA Regional Tournament starting on Oct. 8. The tournament will give the Crimson players another chance to automatically qualify for the NCAA Individual Championships later this fall.

—Staff writer Alex S. Kim can be reached at [email protected].