A new thread for a new season. This will be the first season under the House settlement agreement that allows for revenue sharing with athletes -though tennis as a non-revenue Olympic sport is not likely to see much of that - and roster limits of 10 players. With the new landscape athletics departments have been reviewing their sport portfolio and several smaller tennis programs have been shut down. The transfer portal has been very active with players seeking the best NIL deals they can get or for better playing opportunities, including several British men and women.
Wake Forest men will look to defend their title and near perfect season, but with only 3 of last year's regular 6 returning - Suresh, Robertson and Pow - and the rest of the team having little collegiate playing experience that may be more challenging this year. TCU men embark on their first season in over a decade without British interest on their roster.
The autumn semester will again focus on individual competition with team play in the spring. There's no change as far as I'm aware to the qualification to the individual NCAAs. Places will be won at the All Americans, Regionals, sectionals and conference masters.
The main dates this year 20 - 28 September All-Americans (Men Tulsa, Women Cary) Mid October Regionals 6 - 9 Nov Sectionals 6 - 9 Nov Conference Masters (Barnes TC, San Diego) 18 - 23 Nov NCAA individual singles and doubles championships, USTA National Campus, Lake Nona, Florida
Early Feb ITA Team Indoor Championships 14 - 17 May NCAA Team Championships, USTA National Campus, Lake Nona, Florida
The pre season rankings don't make great reading from a British perspective. I'm not sure how the singles rankings are worked out - they're supposed to be the returning players from the season end top 125 with the remainder filled by WTN, but they don't look like that especially on the women's side.
Ollie Tarvet has said he is not returning until January so isn't submitted for the pre season rankings.
Men 38 Roan Jones (UNC) 55 Alex Okonkwo (Ohio State) 92 Luca Pow (Wake Forest) 103 Will Jansen (Georgia) 114 Charlie Robertson (Wake Forest)
Some interesting partnerships put forward. Luc Koenig leads the British men with regular doubles partner. The Blaydes brothers are reunited as Freddy transfers to Auburn. Jasmine leads the British women with her partner from last season. Eva and Millie partner up at Florida State and there are entries for newcomers Erin Pearce and Dani Piani.
