American Juniors Shine at ITF J300 in Barranquilla, Antonius and Traynor Sweep Titles
The ITF J300 in Barranquilla, Colombia has long been friendly ground for American juniors, and this year was no exception. For the sixth time in seven years, an American boy claimed the singles crown-and this time, Michael Antonius didn’t stop there. The 16-year-old from Buffalo not only secured the singles title but also added a doubles championship to his trophy haul, delivering a dominant week that reaffirmed his status as one of the top juniors in the game.
Antonius, the tournament’s top seed, rolled through the draw without dropping a set until the final. That’s where things got interesting.
Facing Great Britain’s unseeded Rhys Lawler in the title match, Antonius was pushed to the brink. After dropping the first set 4-6, he clawed his way back in a tense second-set tiebreak, winning it 7-6(4), before closing out the match with a commanding 6-1 third set.
It marked his second career ITF J300 singles title and showed a level of resilience that bodes well for his future in high-stakes matches.
Just a day earlier, Antonius had already lifted the doubles trophy alongside Japan’s Takahiro Kawaguchi. The No. 2 seeds took down the unseeded duo of Zavier Augustin and Koki Nara 6-3, 6-4 in the final.
With the singles-doubles sweep, Antonius climbed back to his career-high ITF junior ranking of No. 14.
On the girls’ side, it was a breakout week for 18-year-old Olivia Traynor. The New York native had never advanced past the second round at an ITF J300 event before, but in Barranquilla, she flipped the script.
Unseeded and flying under the radar, Traynor strung together five straight wins to capture her first ITF J300 title. She capped off her run with a 7-6(3), 6-3 win over No. 4 seed Jordyn Hazelitt in the final-a poised performance that showcased her composure and shot-making under pressure.
Traynor also made a run to the doubles final, teaming up with Ana Avramovic. The unseeded pair fell to the top-seeded team of Hazelitt and Welles Newman, who have been on a roll themselves after winning the doubles title at the J300 in Costa Rica just two weeks earlier. Still, the singles title and finals appearance in doubles propelled Traynor from No. 131 to No. 66 in the ITF junior rankings-a massive leap that puts her firmly on the radar heading into the spring.
Both Antonius and Traynor are already back in action this week at the J300 in Salinas, Ecuador. Antonius enters as the top seed once again, while Traynor, still unseeded, drew a tough first-round matchup against No. 2 seed Pietra Rivoli of Brazil.
More American Success at the J30 Level
The success wasn’t limited to Barranquilla. Two more American juniors picked up their first ITF Junior Circuit singles titles at J30 events.
In Sri Lanka, 15-year-old Swanika Roy put together a dominant run to the title. The No. 4 seed didn’t drop a set all week and capped it off with a 6-3, 6-3 win over No. 2 seed Aaraa Aasaal Azim of the Maldives in the final. Five matches, five straight-set wins-Roy made a statement.
Meanwhile, in Uruguay, 16-year-old Londyn McCord also broke through. The No. 5 seed had to battle in the final, dropping the first set to No. 4 seed Sofia Barbosa Perez of Uruguay before rallying to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. It was a gritty performance and a well-earned first title on the junior circuit.
Kennedy Set for Challenger Main Draw Debut in Cleveland
On the pro side, Jack Kennedy is set to make his ATP Challenger main draw debut this week at the Cleveland Open 75. He’ll face 2018 NCAA singles finalist Borna Gojo of Croatia in the first round-his first taste of main-draw action at this level.
Kennedy’s opportunity comes via the ATP Junior Accelerator Program, which grants Challenger entries to top junior finishers. After ending 2025 ranked in the ITF Junior Top 10, Kennedy has up to eight Challenger appearances lined up this year at the 50 or 75 level.
Qualifying in Cleveland wrapped up with a strong showing from former college players. Five of the six qualifiers played collegiate tennis, including four Americans: Joshua Sheehy (Abilene Christian), Quinn Vandecasteele (Oregon), Matt Kuhar (Bryant), and Stefan Dostanic (USC/Wake Forest). Canada’s Justin Boulais (Ohio State) and Great Britain’s Ben Jones round out the list.
Wild cards were handed out to UCLA’s Kaylan Bigun, Karl Poling (Princeton/UNC), and Cleveland State junior Lincoln Battle.
Japan’s Sho Shimabukuro is the top seed in the main draw, with defending champion Colton Smith (Arizona) slotted in as the No. 2 seed. In early first-round action, Harvard’s Daniel Milavsky knocked off Bigun 6-4, 6-3; Stefan Kozlov, seeded seventh, came from a set down to beat Germany’s Cedrik-Marcel Stebe 3-6, 6-2, 6-3; and Antoine Ghibaudo of France stunned No. 4 seed Bernard Tomic 6-1, 6-3. Ghibaudo, a Kentucky sophomore, announced this week he’s leaving the Wildcats program to pursue a full-time pro career.
Georgia Leads 2026 Women’s Recruiting Rankings
The winter edition of the Tennis Recruiting Network’s 2026 women’s recruiting class rankings dropped today, and Georgia leads the pack. The Bulldogs earned eight first-place votes, edging out Texas A&M (four first-place votes) and North Carolina (one). Rounding out the top 10 are Tennessee, Clemson, Central Florida, Florida, Auburn, Wake Forest, and Florida State.
Interestingly, 10 of the top 25 programs this year didn’t crack the list last year-a sign of just how much the transfer portal and NIL era have reshaped the recruiting landscape. Ivy League programs, traditionally strong in these rankings, are notably less prominent this time around.
Paul, Harrison Join U.S. Davis Cup Squad for Hungary Tie
The U.S. Davis Cup team has finalized its roster for this weekend’s First Round Qualifier against Hungary, adding two key names: Tommy Paul and Christian Harrison.
Paul, currently ranked No. 22 in the world, returns for his 11th Davis Cup tie. Harrison, fresh off a men’s doubles title at the 2026 Australian Open, joins the team for the first time, stepping in for veteran Rajeev Ram.
They’ll join Ethan Quinn (No. 68), Emilio Nava (No. 82), and Austin Krajicek (No. 52 in doubles) for the tie, which will be played on indoor clay at the Tatabányai Multifunkcionális Sportcsarnok in Hungary.
The format is best-of-five: two singles matches on Saturday, followed by a doubles match and two more singles matches on Sunday. First team to three wins advances to the next round in September. Tennis Channel will carry the action in the U.S.
Hungary’s squad, led by world No. 46 Fabian Marozsan, also includes Zsombor Piros (No.
176), Peter Fajta (No. 533), Mate Valkusz (No. 622), and Matyas Fuele (No. 781), under captain Kornel Bardoczky.
With a mix of rising stars and experienced hands, Team USA will be looking to handle business on the road and punch their ticket to the next round.