If you’re looking through the men’s singles draw for the 2020 French Open, you might come across some former collegiate men’s players — 12 to be exact. Each of the 12 left a legacy at their school and in the greater scope of college tennis.
In honor of the French Open kicking off on Sunday, we are highlighting their legendary collegiate careers that prepared them for this moment.
Steve Johnson | University of Southern California
- Johnson anchored the Trojans to four consecutive NCAA Team Championships
- He collected two NCAA Singles Championships for himself
- Steve closed out his career with USC on a 72 match win streak
John Isner | University of Georgia
- As a senior, Isner led the Bulldogs to a perfect 32-0 record and the program’s fifth NCAA Team Championship
- Isner left Athens holding the school records for career singles, career doubles, and career combined wins
- In the fall of his senior season, Isner won the ITA All-American Doubles Championships and the ITA National Indoor Doubles Championships
Dominik Koepfer | Tulane University
- At the end of his collegiate career, Koepfer held the singles season winning percentage record and was second in career singles wins and career overall wins
- He was named the ITA National Men’s Senior Player of the Year — a first for the program
- Koepfer also became the first Tulane player to be ranked No. 1 in the Oracle ITA Singles Rankings
Marcos Giron | UCLA
- Marcos Giron won the NCAA Singles Championships in 2014 – Giron’s national championship made him the 11th Bruin to win the NCAA Singles title
- That same year, he was named the ITA National Player of the Year
- ITA Singles All-American in 2013 and 2014
Cameron Norrie | Texas Christian University
- Norrie finished his collegiate career ranked No. 1 in the Oracle ITA Singles Rankings — a first for the program
- After going 21-1 at the No. 1 singles slot his junior season, Norrie also claimed TCU’s season singles winning percentage record
- He was named an ITA Singles All-American all three years he played for the Horned Frogs
Emilio Gomez | University of Southern California
- Gomez was an selected to the NCAA All-Tournament Team in singles after helping USC win the 2011 NCAA Team Championship
- Ranked as high as No. 47 in ITA singles rankings
- He won the National Team Tournament title twice with the Trojans
Arthur Rinderknech | Texas A&M University
- As a senior, Arthur Rinderknech clinched Texas A&M’s first ever trip to the NCAA Semifinals
- Helped Texas A&M to a national team ranking of No.5, playing primarily at the No.1 spot
- Was ranked as high as No.10 in the country in singles
Kevin Anderson | University of Illinois
- In 2006, Kevin Anderson and Ryan Rowe became only the third Illinois duo to capture the NCAA Doubles Championship
- In addition to his deep runs in the individual NCAA Championships, Anderson led the Illini to the finals of the team competition in 2007.
- Over the span of his collegiate career, Anderson was named an ITA Singles All-American three times and an ITA Doubles All-American twice.
Mackenzie McDonald | UCLA
- In his final season with the Bruins, McDonald won not only the NCAA Singles Championships, but also the NCAA Doubles Championships with Martin Redlicki – He became the first men’s player to sweep the NCAA individual titles in 15 years
- He finished his collegiate career ranked No. 1 in the singles and doubles Oracle ITA Rankings
- McDonald was named an ITA All-American in singles for three straight years.
Aleks Vukic | University of Illinois
- Vukic claimed three All-American honors in singles from 2016-2018
- He became the first player in Illinois’ history to win 21-straight dual singles matches
- As a freshman, Vukic went 45-5 overall in singles, which set the school record for most wins in season
Tennys Sandgren | University of Tennessee
- ITA Player to Watch
- In 2011, he was selected as a member of the USTA Summer Collegiate Team along with his teammate Rhyne Williams
- ITA All-American in singles
Jason Jung | University of Michigan
- Finished ranked fourth in career doubles wins and third for most doubles wins by a freshman
- ITA Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award winner
