WILMINGTON, N.C. — William & Mary men's tennis opened its 2026 fall season at the Porter's Neck Invitational over the weekend at Porter's Neck Country Club.

Senior Nikita Bortnichek and junior Theo Nilsson each earned third-place finishes in singles, while Bortnichek teamed with freshman Omar Rhazali to take third in the Flight A doubles draw.

Bortnichek opened Flight A2 singles action with a 6-0, 3-6, 6-3 victory over North Carolina A&T's Josh Collider. After retiring in his semifinal match against UNCW's Gabriel Jacquemin, Bortnichek bounced back to defeat UNCW's Alejandro Pena, 4-6, 7-5, 10-6, in the third-place match.

Nilsson opened the Flight C draw with a dominant 6-1, 6-1 victory over Mercyhurst's Javier Sanchez. The Tribe junior fell to Presbyterian's Aarav Hada, 7-5, 6-4, in the semifinals before finishing third after receiving a walkover against Mercyhurst's Derek Winsnes in the third-place match.

Rhazali picked up his first collegiate singles victory in his William & Mary debut, defeating Queens' Jan Montero Diaz, 6-2, 6-2, in the Flight A1 quarterfinals. He dropped a tightly contested semifinal to UNCW's Tomas Marin, 7-6 (6), 7-5, before falling to UNCW's Alex de Gabriele, 7-5, 6-2, in the third-place match.

Bortnichek and Rhazali added a third-place finish in Flight A doubles. The Tribe tandem opened with a 6-3 victory over Presbyterian's Jesse Clarkson and Dario Navarro before falling to UNCW's JP Coello and William Dean, 6-4, in the semifinals. Bortnichek and Rhazali responded with a 6-2 victory over Presbyterian's Rafael Asadullin and Eduardo Valentin in the third-place match.

Nilsson teamed with Presbyterian's Rafael Correa in the Flight C doubles round robin. The duo competed in three matches over the weekend.

William & Mary returns to action at the Liberty Dual, Sept. 25-27, at the Liberty Tennis Complex in Lynchburg, Va.

W&M Results from the Porter's Neck Invitational

Flight A1 Singles

Quarterfinals
Omar Rhazali (W&M) def. Jan Montero Diaz (Queens) — 6-2, 6-2

Semifinals
Tomas Marin (UNCW) def. Omar Rhazali (W&M) — 7-6 (6), 7-5

Third-Place Match
Alex de Gabriele (UNCW) def. Omar Rhazali (W&M) — 7-5, 6-2
 

Flight A2 Singles

Quarterfinals
Nikita Bortnichek (W&M) def. Josh Collider (North Carolina A&T) — 6-0, 3-6, 6-3

Semifinals
Gabriel Jacquemin (UNCW) def. Nikita Bortnichek (W&M) — 6-4, ret.

Third-Place Match
Nikita Bortnichek (W&M) def. Alejandro Pena (UNCW) — 4-6, 7-5, 10-6
 

Flight C Singles

Quarterfinals
Theo Nilsson (W&M) def. Javier Sanchez (Mercyhurst) — 6-1, 6-1

Semifinals
Aarav Hada (Presbyterian) def. Theo Nilsson (W&M) — 7-5, 6-4

Third-Place Match
Theo Nilsson (W&M) def. Derek Winsnes (Mercyhurst) — w.o.
 

Flight A Doubles

Quarterfinals
Nikita Bortnichek/Omar Rhazali (W&M) def. Jesse Clarkson/Dario Navarro (Presbyterian) — 6-3

Semifinals
JP Coello/William Dean (UNCW) def. Bortnichek/Rhazali (W&M) — 6-4

Third-Place Match
Bortnichek/Rhazali (W&M) def. Rafael Asadullin/Eduardo Valentin (Presbyterian) — 6-2
 

Flight C Doubles

Round Robin
Javier Sanchez/Derek Winsnes (Mercyhurst) def. Rafael Correa (Presbyterian)/Theo Nilsson (W&M) — 6-3

Mathieu Dussaubat/Maksim Mihic (North Carolina A&T) def. Correa/Nilsson (Presbyterian/W&M) — 6-2

Gabriel Godoy/Aarav Hada (Presbyterian) def. Correa/Nilsson (Presbyterian/W&M) — 6-4