Some Grand Slam participants are touted when they are still in “nappies…” as future stars. There are those who are “launched” by tennis clubs and academies.
Many become members of federation training programs and as a result receive significant financial support. Then there are those who “just happen…” on the scene because they have taken their own path.
After the Roland Garros draws had been made, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) listed all of the competitors who had spent some time in the US playing intercollegiate tennis. Those who did, took a “chance…” deciding to develop their games in a setting that also offered academic advancement – A “Double Best” if you will.
Glancing at the names below, it is clear that many after leaving campus have had Phi Beta Kappa careers on court.
Marcelo Arevalo – Tulsa
Emina Bektas – Michigan
Aliona Bolsova – Florida Atlantic University/Oklahoma State
Nuno Borges – Mississippi State
Kaitlyn Christian – USC
Danielle Collins – Florida/Virginia
Max Cressy – UCLA
Anna Danilina – Florida
Sadio Doumbia – Auburn University-Montgomery/University of Georgia
Gonzalo Escobar – Texas Tech
Robert Farah – USC
Dore Fernanda Gomez – Vanderbilt
Sander Gille – East Tennessee State University
Marcos Giron – UCLA
Lloyd Glasspool – Texas
Borna Gojo – Wake Forest
Andre Goransson – California
Alex Guarachi – Alabama
Hans Hach Verdugo – Abilene Christian University
John Isner – University of Georgia
Léolia Jeanjean – Baylor/Arkansas/Lynn
Steve Johnson – USC
Austin Krajicek – Texas A & M
Desirae Krawczyk – Arizona State
Nate Lammons – SMU
Elixane Lechemia – South Carolina
Mackenzie McDonald – UCLA
Ben McLachlan – California
Andreas Mies – Auburn
Nicholas Monroe – North Carolina
Brandon Nakashima – Virginia
Cameron Norrie – TCU
Aleksandr Nedovyesov – Oklahoma State
Giuliana Olmos – USC
John Peers – Middle Tennessee State University/Baylor
Ellen Perez – Georgia
Tim Puetz – Auburn
Rajeev Ram – Illinois
Hunter Reese – Tennessee
Arthur Rinderknech – Texas A & M
Jean-Julien Rojer – UCLA
Jenson Brooksby – Baylor
Erin Routliffe – Alabama
Joe Salisbury – Memphis
Sabrina Santamaria – USC
Astra Sharma – Vanderbilt
Mayar Sherif – Pepperdine
Ena Shibahara – UCLA
Neal Skupski – LSU
Aldila Sutjiadi – Kentucky
Michael Venus – Texas/LSU
Joran Vliegen – East Carolina
Jan Zielinski – Georgia
Title photo of Danielle Collins at Roland Garros 2022 by Matthieu Mirville