COLUMBUS — As the old adage says, in order to be the best, sometimes you have to beat the best.

For Michigan men’s tennis sophomore Jason Jung, that happened on Saturday during his team’s 4-1 loss against the Ohio State Buckeyes.

He defeated Buckeye Bryan Koniecko in straight sets (6-2, 6-3) at the No. 1 singles position in front of a stunned sea of scarlet and gray. Koniecko is the No. 3 singles player in the country, compiling a 35-4 record in dual-match play before losing to Jung.

The win is arguably the biggest in Jung's short career in Ann Arbor.

“He’s definitely been playing better in singles lately,” Michigan coach Bruce Berque said. “I’m a little surprised that he beat one of the best players in college tennis in the NCCA Tournament. … However, he is definitely capable of beating such a good player, but he hasn’t played that kind of tennis throughout a whole match.

"This was a major step forward for Jason.”

Jung said the windy conditions might have affected Koniecko’s concentration and mental focus more than they affected him and that could have helped him prevail.

But to say the weather was the determining factor in the match would be a grave mistake, though. Jung used his quick feet and played aggressive tennis at the net to his advantage as he battled Koniecko for points in the waning minutes.

“It’s a good way to end the season, definitely,” Jung said. “It gives me more confidence to keep playing better heading into next season.”

The Torrance, Calif. native simply made the shots he needed while Koniecko missed those he would normally make.

Midway through the season, Jung went six weeks without a win in singles. But down the stretch, he won seven of his last nine matches while playing the opposition's best.

As arguably one of the fastest players on the court, Jung can beat his opponent with long rallies back and forth, but is also skilled enough to earn points volleying close at the net.

"Jason was able to execute better and make very few unforced errors," Berque said. "This time, he also handled the pressure of closing out the match very well."

The win against Koniecko should definitely bode well for Jung’s confidence heading into next season. But for now, Jung can take a moment to enjoy his victory over one of the best Division I tennis players in the country.