Kansai University falls to Hosei University 5-3 in semifinal

Doubles Deficit Sets Up Singles Battle

After trading early games and pulling ahead 3-2, Takatake and Itonaga surrendered the first set. They forced a second-set tiebreak after breaking serve, but lost it 7-5 to drop the match.

Kansai responded in D2 as Riku Fujiwara and Akito Imanishi secured a straight-sets victory against Nandokai and Okahashi. Fujiwara’s volleys and Imanishi’s service aces helped the pair capture the opening set 6-4. Despite losing their lead in the second set and surviving another tight tiebreak, Imanishi and Fujiwara converted opponent errors to claim the set and put Kansai on the board.

#超速報【王座2026/準決勝D1】薦田直哉/坂本健英(関大) vs 寺島拓斗/永井優輝(法大) 全日本大学対抗テニス王座決定試合2026

Outdoors after the weather cleared, D1 representatives Naoya Komeda and Ken-ei Sakamoto struggled to establish momentum against Terashima and Nagai. The pair dropped the first set after failing to overcome an early deficit and fell in the second set as well, leaving Kansai trailing 1-2 heading into singles play.

Singles Split Decides Semifinal Outcome

In singles competition, freshman Yamato Nishiyama brought Kansai its second point at S6 by defeating Uchida. After dropping the opening set, Nishiyama controlled the second set 6-0 despite requiring medical attention, and swept the third set without dropping a game.

At S4, Shunya Takatake bounced back from his doubles loss by overwhelming Matsuoka 6-0 in the first set. Though Matsuoka took the second set while Takatake received medical treatment, Takatake regained control in the third set, conceding only two games to secure the victory.

However, Hosei secured the decisive victories down the line. At S2, Imanishi fell in straight sets to Terashima, 6-1, 6-0. Shortly after, S1 representative Naoya Komeda dropped his opening set 6-3 to Okahashi before Hosei clinched their fifth match point of the tie, leaving Komeda’s match unfinished and sealing the 5-3 overall defeat.