In a thrilling upset, the University of the East (UE) Red Warriors secured a remarkable 4-1 victory over the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in the UAAP Season 86 men’s tennis tournament, held at the Felicisimo Ampon Tennis Center in Manila.

The win marked a significant breakthrough for the Red Warriors, dealing UST its first loss of the season after the latter had won their first six ties. With this surprising turn of events, UE improved its record to 6-2, trailing just half a tie behind UST and the Ateneo Blue Eagles, who currently share the top spot with a 6-1 record.

Jarell Edangga emerged as the hero for UE, avenging his previous defeat to UST’s EJ Tangub in the first round. Edangga fought back from a set down to secure a hard-fought victory, winning 0-6, 7-5, 6-4. Reflecting on the team’s performance, UE head coach Roel Licayan emphasized the importance of playing with confidence and enjoying the game, highlighting the team’s collective effort and resilience.

Reigning MVP Nilo Ledama provided a bright spot for UST, bouncing back from an early setback to secure a reverse sweep victory, winning 6-7, 6-0, 6-2. However, Ledama’s efforts were not enough to prevent UE’s determined charge to victory.

Dawson Ormoc and Prince Bo Lastimosa leveled the score for UE by clinching victory in the first doubles match, defeating their UST counterparts Richard Bautista and Geo Serino with a score of 6-2, 7-6. The duo of Kent Morales and RJ Baje continued UE’s momentum with a hard-fought victory in the second doubles match, setting the stage for Edangga’s heroics.

Marc Suson sealed the stunning upset for UE with a dominant performance, overpowering his opponent Sebastian Santos with a scoreline of 6-0, 6-1.