Photo by: Brittany Evans
Denver Men’s Tennis Grabs Eight Total Wins to Open Bedford Cup
9/18/2026 9:13:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Glarner/Samuel, Beduhn/Davies advance to quarterfinals
USAFA, Colorado – The University of Denver men's tennis team kicked off its 2026 fall season with eight combined wins on the first day of the Bedford Cup in the Mountains, hosted by the Air Force Academy, on Friday.
All three of Denver's player pairings for the tournament – which is following a dominant duo format – advanced at least once through the draw on Day 1. Denver's duos of freshmen Roman Glarner and Rafe Samuel, and sophomores Aaron Beduhn and Dylan Davies each received byes into the round of 16, and both advanced successfully into Saturday's quarterfinals. Junior Alex Kotarski and freshman Platon Tsarennko won their round of 32 match up but ultimately fell in the round of 16.
Kotarski/Tsarenko were the first Pioneers to take to the court, starting with the round of 32 doubles where they fell in a tiebreak. But with wins from both players in singles – each in straight sets – the junior/freshman team moved on in the bracket and into the round of 16, which was held Friday afternoon.
In the round of 16, Kotarski/Tsarenko again dropped a close doubles contest but were unable to turn the tide in singles with both Pioneers fighting competitive first set before falling in the second set.
Both of DU's pairings to receive byes in the first round eased through the round of 16, sweeping their respective doubles and singles matches. Glarner/Samuel broke late in doubles to take it, 7-5. Samuel won his first singles set, 6-1, and was handed the walkover win due to retirement by his opponent from Idaho. Glarner split the first two sets before running away with his own 6-1 set in the third.
Beduhn/Davies claimed their doubles match, 6-4, before both players made it through singles in straight sets – each winning a tiebreak along the way. Davies opened his match with a 6-4 first set, then closed it out with a dominant 7-2 win in the second-set breaker. Beduhn completed the sweep in reverse fashion, winning the tiebreak in the first set and then sealing the win with a late break in the second set for 7-5.
The Bedford Cup continues on Saturday with the quarterfinals and semifinals for both singles and doubles with play beginning at 9 a.m. MT.
FRIDAY'S RESULTS
Glarner/Samuel
Round of 32: BYE
Round of 16 Doubles: Glarner/Samuel def. Janson/Moroder (Idaho): 7-5
Round of 16 Singles: Rafe Samuel def. Paul Janson: 6-1 ret.
Round of 16 Singles: Roman Glarner def. Gabriel Moroder: 7-5 6-7(5) 6-1
Beduhn/Davies
Round of 32: BYE
Round of 16 Doubles: Beduhn/Davies def. Fischer/Rojas (New Mexico State): 6-4
Round of 16 Singles: Dylan Davies def. Matias Rojas: 6-4 7-6(2)
Round of 16 Singles: Aaron Beduhn def. Laurendi Fischer: 7-6(3) 7-5
Kotarski/Tsarenko
Round of 32 Doubles: Mize/Pinna (New Mexico State) def. Kotarski/Tsarenko: 7-6(5)
Round of 32 Singles: Alex Kotarski def. Kale Mize: 7-6(5) 7-6(5)
Round of 32 Singles: Platon Tsarenko def. Santiago Pinna: 6-2 6-0
Round of 16 Doubles: De Klerk/Igesund (Montana State) def. Kotarski/Tsarenko: 6-4
Round of 16 Singles: Reuben De Klerk def. Alex Kotarski: 7-6(5) 6-2
Round of 16 Singles: Gareth Igesund def. Platon Tsarenko: 7-5 6-4
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SATURDAY'S SCHEDULE
Quarterfinal: Glarner/Samuel vs. Scholtz/Wallin (Weber State)
Quarterfinal: Beduhn/Davies vs. Lis/Vladimirov (Idaho)
Back Draw: Kotarski/Tsarenko vs. TBA
All three of Denver's player pairings for the tournament – which is following a dominant duo format – advanced at least once through the draw on Day 1. Denver's duos of freshmen Roman Glarner and Rafe Samuel, and sophomores Aaron Beduhn and Dylan Davies each received byes into the round of 16, and both advanced successfully into Saturday's quarterfinals. Junior Alex Kotarski and freshman Platon Tsarennko won their round of 32 match up but ultimately fell in the round of 16.
Kotarski/Tsarenko were the first Pioneers to take to the court, starting with the round of 32 doubles where they fell in a tiebreak. But with wins from both players in singles – each in straight sets – the junior/freshman team moved on in the bracket and into the round of 16, which was held Friday afternoon.
In the round of 16, Kotarski/Tsarenko again dropped a close doubles contest but were unable to turn the tide in singles with both Pioneers fighting competitive first set before falling in the second set.
Both of DU's pairings to receive byes in the first round eased through the round of 16, sweeping their respective doubles and singles matches. Glarner/Samuel broke late in doubles to take it, 7-5. Samuel won his first singles set, 6-1, and was handed the walkover win due to retirement by his opponent from Idaho. Glarner split the first two sets before running away with his own 6-1 set in the third.
Beduhn/Davies claimed their doubles match, 6-4, before both players made it through singles in straight sets – each winning a tiebreak along the way. Davies opened his match with a 6-4 first set, then closed it out with a dominant 7-2 win in the second-set breaker. Beduhn completed the sweep in reverse fashion, winning the tiebreak in the first set and then sealing the win with a late break in the second set for 7-5.
The Bedford Cup continues on Saturday with the quarterfinals and semifinals for both singles and doubles with play beginning at 9 a.m. MT.
FRIDAY'S RESULTS
Glarner/Samuel
Round of 32: BYE
Round of 16 Doubles: Glarner/Samuel def. Janson/Moroder (Idaho): 7-5
Round of 16 Singles: Rafe Samuel def. Paul Janson: 6-1 ret.
Round of 16 Singles: Roman Glarner def. Gabriel Moroder: 7-5 6-7(5) 6-1
Beduhn/Davies
Round of 32: BYE
Round of 16 Doubles: Beduhn/Davies def. Fischer/Rojas (New Mexico State): 6-4
Round of 16 Singles: Dylan Davies def. Matias Rojas: 6-4 7-6(2)
Round of 16 Singles: Aaron Beduhn def. Laurendi Fischer: 7-6(3) 7-5
Kotarski/Tsarenko
Round of 32 Doubles: Mize/Pinna (New Mexico State) def. Kotarski/Tsarenko: 7-6(5)
Round of 32 Singles: Alex Kotarski def. Kale Mize: 7-6(5) 7-6(5)
Round of 32 Singles: Platon Tsarenko def. Santiago Pinna: 6-2 6-0
Round of 16 Doubles: De Klerk/Igesund (Montana State) def. Kotarski/Tsarenko: 6-4
Round of 16 Singles: Reuben De Klerk def. Alex Kotarski: 7-6(5) 6-2
Round of 16 Singles: Gareth Igesund def. Platon Tsarenko: 7-5 6-4
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SATURDAY'S SCHEDULE
Quarterfinal: Glarner/Samuel vs. Scholtz/Wallin (Weber State)
Quarterfinal: Beduhn/Davies vs. Lis/Vladimirov (Idaho)
Back Draw: Kotarski/Tsarenko vs. TBA
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Visit DenverPioneers.com for complete coverage of all 18 of DU's NCAA Division I sports
Like Denver Pioneers and Denver Men's Tennis on Facebook
Follow @DU_Pioneers and @DU_MTennis on Twitter
Follow @DenverPioneers and @DU_MTennis on Instagram
Follow @DenverPioneers and @DU_MTennis on Threads
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