WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - For the first time in program history, the Boilermakers have swept the Big Ten weekly awards as Nour Fathalla received Big Ten Player of the Week and Lorenzo Balducci Freshman of the Week.
The pair's stellar performances in the ITA Ohio Valley Regional included advancing to the singles semifinals, where the Boilermakers competed against each other. Additionally, the pair combined for three ranked wins along their singles journey to the semifinals.
With Fathalla's Regional Final berth, he punched his ticket to the NCAA Singles Championshipswhich will take place November on the campus of Georgia. The Alexandria, Egypt product is the third Boilermaker this century to earn a singles bid to the postseason dance. The path was highlighted with the defeat of #14 Eli Stephenson in the quarterfinals: 7-6(4), 6-4.
Fathalla's dominant performance over the course of the singles tournament led to just two sets being played in each match. Moreover, he limited his opponents to winning three games or less in seven of his eight total sets played.
Balducci picked up three straight wins in the singles bracket, and went 2-1 against ranked opponents during his time, downing #55 Sam Landau: 6-2, 1-6, 6-1 in the quarterfinals and #116 Johan Oscar Lien: 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(9) in the Round of 16. He ultimately fell to Fathalla, who ranked #63 in the semifinals.
The Boilermakers competed together as a pair in the doubles bracket, picking up three straight wins until they ultimately fell in quarterfinals.
Fathalla is the first Big Ten Player of the Week since teammate Henrik Villanger received the honor in February 2025.