College Tennis Shines on Media Day Ahead of ITA Men's Team Indoors
The energy was high in Dallas as Media Day set the stage for the ITA Men’s Team Indoor Championships. Eight top-tier programs cycled through the production floor at SMU, giving fans and media a closer look at the personalities and storylines shaping this year’s tournament. With players filming intros, fielding questions from Cracked Racquets’ Chris Halioris, and chatting with ITA media teams, it was a chance to put faces to the names we’ll be watching closely all weekend.
One of the most intriguing voices of the day came from SMU junior Trevor Svajda, who’s had a front-row seat to the rising level of college tennis - and has the game to back it up.
Svajda’s Growth, Measured by a Familiar Foe
Svajda recently competed in the Dallas Open, drawing a familiar opponent in the first round: Ethan Quinn, who had also bested him in the same round a year earlier. But this time around, it was a different match - closer, more competitive, and a sign of Svajda’s growth. Quinn still walked away with the win, 7-6(3), 7-5, but Svajda saw the silver lining.
“I was excited when I saw the draw,” he said. “He’s a great player, I’m kind of friends with him off the court… but I was excited to have a second chance at him. I think I proved myself a little bit more this year than I did last year.”
The match offered a clear window into how Svajda has evolved, particularly on serve - an area he’s targeted for improvement. But it was Quinn’s serve that ultimately proved decisive.
“His serve was the toughest thing,” Svajda said. “I got an early break in the first set, but I guessed right four times in a row and saw a couple of second serves.
He broke me back right after, and I saw no more chances at all. He has one of the best serves I’ve played against.”
That’s high praise coming from a player who’s not only faced top collegiate talent but is also starting to dip his toes into the pro circuit.
Bridging the Gap Between College and the Pros
Now in his third year at SMU, Svajda is uniquely positioned to evaluate the level of play in college tennis - and he’s bullish on where things stand.
“I think college tennis is at the highest level that it’s ever been,” he said. “These players are definitely Top 200 players, some top 150, and I think college tennis is at its peak right now. It’s pretty similar to the ATP Tour.”
That’s not just lip service. Svajda’s own journey reflects that rise.
After what he called “not the greatest seasons,” he’s used this past fall to reset - reaching the NCAA singles final in November and making noticeable strides in his game. A switch to a Yonex racquet, he noted, has also helped sharpen his performance.
“I think it was a good learning experience for me, and I’m going to get as many matches as I can. Once I feel I’m ready, I’ll turn pro,” Svajda said. “This season, it’s looking more and more likely that I’m ready.”
Before that next step, though, Svajda has business to handle in Dallas. He’ll lead SMU at the No. 1 spot on Friday against Ohio State’s Aidan Kim, a player he has history with. Svajda beat Kim during his run to the Kalamazoo 18s final in 2023 but lost to him in an M25 last summer - right here in Dallas.
“I think we’re going to come out loose,” Svajda said. “Anything can happen, it’s college tennis.
No nerves for us - we’re going to try to come out and play our best tennis. They’re a good team.”
Pinnington Jones Makes His Mark on the Pro Stage
If you’re still questioning the level at the top of college tennis, Jack Pinnington Jones just gave you another reason to believe. The TCU standout, who played No. 1 in last year’s ITA Indoor final, has now punched his ticket to the quarterfinals of the Dallas Open, taking down fellow college star Eliot Spizzirri in a tight three-set battle: 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-6(4).
Pinnington Jones qualified for the main draw earlier in the week and made a statement in the first round by dismantling No. 4 seed Flavio Cobolli 6-2, 6-2. Next up? A big-time clash with veteran Marin Cilic, who advanced by defeating Quinn 7-6(4), 6-3.
It’s another example of how the college-to-pro pipeline is more fluid than ever - and how players like Pinnington Jones are proving they belong on both stages.
Friday’s First-Round Showdowns: What to Watch
Here’s how the opening day of the ITA Men’s Team Indoors shakes out across both the Baylor and SMU sites. All times listed are Central:
Baylor Site
- **Wake Forest [1] vs.
UC Santa Barbara [8]** - 6:30 p.m.
- **Central Florida [4] vs.
Baylor [5]** - 3:30 p.m.
- **Texas A&M [6] vs.
Texas [3]** - 12:00 p.m.
- **LSU [7] vs.
TCU [2]** - 9:00 a.m.
SMU Site
- **Ohio State [1] vs.
SMU [8]** - 12:00 p.m.
- **Stanford [4] vs.
Arizona State [5]** - 9:00 a.m.
- **Florida [6] vs.
Mississippi State [3]** - 6:30 p.m.
- **Clemson [7] vs.
Virginia [2]** - 3:30 p.m.
All matches will be streamed live on the Cracked Racquets YouTube Channel, with dual streams covering both sites.
Around the USTA Pro Circuit
While college tennis takes center stage this weekend, there’s plenty happening across the USTA Pro Circuit.
At the ATP Challenger 50 in Baton Rouge, Stefan Dostanic has reached his third career Challenger quarterfinal - and second in as many weeks. He’ll face Olaf Pieczkowski of LSU, who will be unavailable for the Tigers’ Friday morning match in Waco due to his pro commitment.
Braden Shick (NC State), playing in just his second Challenger, pulled off a strong win over No. 7 seed Tyler Zink (Georgia/Oklahoma State), 7-6(7), 6-4. He’ll meet No. 2 seed Andres Andrade (Florida) of Ecuador next. Elsewhere in Baton Rouge, Cannon Kingsley (Ohio State) and Andre Ilagan (Hawaii) will square off in an all-American quarterfinal, while Daniel Milavsky (Harvard) is set to face top seed Alexis Galarneau (NC State/Canada), who beat Jack Kennedy 6-4, 6-3.
At the M15 in Sunrise, Florida, 16-year-old Andy Johnson continues to turn heads. The young American reached his second M15 quarterfinal in three weeks, knocking out No. 2 seed Andrew Fenty (Michigan) 6-4, 7-6(2). Johnson will face Argentine qualifier Fermin Tenti in the quarters.
Junior Tennis: Preston, McCord Keep Rolling in Lima
At the J300 in Lima, Peru, Janae Preston kept her red-hot streak alive, beating Germany’s Sophie Triquart 6-1, 6-2 to reach the semifinals. Preston, who’s already won J300 titles in Costa Rica and Ecuador this year, will face top seed Candela Vasquez of Argentina.
In the bottom half of the draw, it’s an all-American semifinal between qualifier Londyn McCord and No. 5 seed Lani Chang.
While U.S. boys are out in singles, Gabriel Jessup and Agassi Rusher are into the doubles final. On the girls’ side, Chang and Preston - the top seeds - have also advanced to the doubles final.
With college tennis reaching new heights and young American talent making waves on the pro circuit, this weekend offers a full slate of storylines worth following. Whether you're locked in on the ITA Indoors or tracking the next wave of U.S. stars, there’s no shortage of action - and no shortage of reasons to believe the future of American tennis is in good hands.