Svajda Ready for Top Seed Ohio State as Men’s ITA Indoor Championships Begin Friday; Pinnington Jones Makes Dallas Open Quarterfinals; Johnson Beats Fenty To Reach Sunrise M15 Quarterfinals; Preston Extends J300 Winning Streak in Peru

©Colette Lewis 2026–

Dallas Texas–

Today was Media Day for the teams at the ITA Men’s Team Indoor Championships, and the eight teams at the SMU site cycled through the production area on the third floor, filming introductions, answering questions from Cracked Racquets announcer Chris Halioris, the ITA’s social media consultants and Nate Walroth of Not Your Country Club.

One player who I wasn’t able to talk to at the Dallas Open in my visit there yesterday was at the top of my list for an interview today, with SMU junior Trevor Svajda in a unique position to compare the level of the college game.

Svajda, who lost to Ethan Quinn 7-6(3), 7-5 in the first round of the Dallas Open, was in the unique position of being able to see the improvements in his game from one year to the next, after he had lost to Quinn in the first round of the Dallas Open last year 6-4, 6-2.

“I was excited when I saw the draw,” Svajda said. “He’s a great player, I’m kind of friends with him off the court, he’s a nice kid, but I was excited to have a second chance at him. And I think I proved myself a little bit more this year than I did last year.”

Although Svajda has been focusing on improving his serve and saw the fruits of that labor when he reached the NCAA singles final in November, he singled out Quinn’s serve as the difference in the match Wednesday.

“His serve was the toughest thing,” said the 19-year-old from San Diego, who broke Quinn just once in the match. “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, so I’d say that’s the biggest difference.”

Svajda is also not only in a position to rate his own game, but in the middle of his third collegiate season, he can compare the levels of the pros at the ATP 500 level and the players he competes against at the No. 1 position in collegiate competition.

“I think college tennis is at the highest level that it’s ever been,” Svajda 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 level to the ATP tour.”

Svajda returned for his junior year after what he described as “not the greatest seasons” but with his results this fall he sees himself more prepared now for the pro tour.

“I think it was a good learning experience for me and I’m going to get as many matches as I can, and once I feel I’m ready, I’ll turn pro,” said Svajda, who believes his switch to a Yonex racquet has contributed to his improved results. “This season, it’s looking more and more likely that I’m ready.”

Svajda will take on Ohio State’s Aidan Kim, who he beat in his run to the Kalamazoo 18s final in 2023 and lost to in an M25 last summer here in Dallas, at No. 1 singles in the noon match Friday.

“I think we’re going to come out loose,” Svajda said. “Anything can happen, it’s college tennis, so I think no nerves for us. I think we’re going to try to come out and play our best tennis. They are a good team.”

Another player who just a year ago was playing No. 1 in the final of the ITA Men’s Team Indoor, TCU’s Jack Pinnington Jones, provided more evidence of the level at the top of the collegiate game, advancing to the quarterfinals of the Dallas Open with a 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-6(4) win over collegiate rival Eliot Spizzirri. Pinnington Jones, who lost to Wake Forest’s Stefan Dostanic 7-6(3), 5-7, 6-4 in the deciding match, qualified for the Dallas Open and beat No. 4 seed Flavio Cobolli of Italy 6-2, 6-2 in the first round Tuesday.

In his first ATP quarterfinal Friday, Pinnington Jones will face Marin Cilic of Croatia, who beat Ethan Quinn(Georgia) 7-6(4), 6-3.

In Baton Rouge, Stefan Dostanic is through to his third Challenger quarterfinal and the second in a row, with the 24-year-old qualifier advancing to a meeting with LSU’s Olaf Pieczkowski of Poland, who will not be available for the Tigers 9 a.m. match in Waco against TCU.

Wild card Braden Shick(NC State), playing in just his second career Challenger, beat No. 7 seed Tyler Zink(Georgia, Oklahoma State) 7-6(7), 6-4 to advance to a meeting with No. 2 seed Andres Andrade(Florida) of Ecuador. Cannon Kingsley(Ohio State) and Andre Ilagan(Hawaii) will face off in a an all-USA quarterfinal, with Daniel Milavsky(Harvard) playing top seed Alexis Galarneau(NC State) of Canada. Galarneau beat Jack Kennedy 6-4, 6-3 in the second round.

In Sunrise, 16-year-old Andy Johnson reached the quarterfinals of an M15 for the second time in three weeks, beating No. 2 seed Andrew Fenty(Michigan) 6-4, 7-6(2). Johnson will face qualifier Fermin Tenti of Argentina in the quarterfinals.

In the all-USA semifinal in the bottom half, qualifier Londyn McCord will take on No. 5 seed Lani Chang.

All US boys are out in singles, but Gabriel Jessup and Agassi Rusher are through to the doubles final.  Chang and Preston, the top seeds, are in the girls doubles final.