Breaking borders: International tennis student-athletes make their mark at USU

By Madison Weber SPORTS STAFF REPORTER

Utah State University supports hundreds of student-athletes, many of which are international players. USU’s tennis teams propotionally have more international student-athletes than any other sport on campus.

While internationality appears to be expanding among other sports, Utah State Tennis has welcomed diverse players for many years.

“Tennis is one of the most popular sports in the world,” women’s head coach Sean McInerney said. “There’s a lot of athletes to choose from. There are just so many more people in the world who play tennis compared to other sports.”

Men’s head coach Aaron Paajanen says there are more international players because tennis isn’t as easily accessible in the U.S.

“I think in the U.S., tennis is very much a country club sport. If you don't have the fnances and you don't have the resources, it's really diffcult to be able to pursue a sport like tennis,” he said.“You got to have a lot of resources in this country to be able to afford it.”

Paajanen says agencies representing athletes contact him every day, asking for the chance to send an international player to USU.

“There defnitely seems to be more interest,” he said. “Even though it's spread out across the world, tennis really is a small world. Recruiting's a big part of the job, so having connections in different parts of the world makes a difference.”

Paajanen normally travels to see international players compete before bringing them back to Utah. The past few years looked differently, however, as travel plans were canceled during the pandemic.

“Ideally, you want to be able to see them in person. You want to be able to meet them in person and be able to establish a relationship there,” he said. “We have had to recruit a few players blindly, but it's worked out for us. I mean, these two guys right here I never got to see in person, and it's worked out quite well for us.”

Paajanen was referring to sophomore Sergi Micó Fenollar and senior Roko Savin, two athletes on the men’s team.

Fenollar is grateful for the opportunity to play at USU. He said in his home country of Spain, it is impossible to follow your athletic dreams while getting an education at the same time.

“Back home, you do not have this opportunity,” he said. “If you get into college, it is a full-time job. If you really want to play tennis, you can’t do both. There is no help to get you there.”

McInerney said U.S. sports programs don’t exist internationally.

“I think it’s a hotbed for international students because it is the highest level they can achieve that they cannot possibly get to in their own country,” he said. “College athletics in the U.S. gives very high-level players, who aren’t quite to the level of going professional, an opportu- nity to come and play in the next best thing.”

For some, coming to Utah State fulflled a lifelong dream.

“For me, it's an amazing experience. It's something I’ve been working on for my whole life. It’s a dream to be here and to be in these facilities, on these courts, with these amazing people,” said Magdalena Nunez Pureco, a freshman from Mexico on the women’s team. “Being away from my home sometimes is hard. But my teammates make it easier for me. They are always supporting me.”

There can be unprecedented challenges for international athletes, but Savin believes the benefts outweigh the hardships.

“It’s a different culture here,” Savin said. “Being a student and athlete at the same time was the biggest adjustment. But you come here understanding each other. You know you're all from different countries and places so I think that brings a lot of unity and team chemistry.”

Savin believes the team’s two American players, Christian Holmes and Jack Ninteman, have helped the seven international players understand the culture and transition to college tennis.

“Personally, I think it’s fascinating to learn about the different cultures, their families, and their upbringings,” McInerney said. “I think it creates a much more well-rounded student-athlete because they are meeting players from all different circumstances. It really leads to them being more open-minded, understanding and more accepting of different personalities.”

Zeynep Naz Ozturk, a senior on the women’s team, sees cultural differences as an opportunity for growth.

“It’s defnitely so much fun being on an international team with teammates from around the world,” she said.

“We share a lot of different cultural backgrounds and then we grow together. It’s a great opportunity to grow as a person in every aspect.”

Ozturk transferred to USU after two seasons at Purdue.

“I chose Utah State because of the coaches,” she said. “I love the program, I love their coaching mentality. I love how they not only care about you on the court but also as a person, and they help you to get better in every aspect.”

Ozturk says that some days are harder than others. The past few weeks have been especially challenging for her to focus on the court in light of the recent earthquakes in her home country of Turkey. Although her family who lives there is safe, she remains worried about what is to come.

“The death toll is more than 40,000 now. It’s just so sad to see the news. Everybody is going through a lot psychologically back home,” she said. “In those times, it’s very hard and challenging to be far from home, from your family. It affects your daily life and on court performance. My teammates and my professors have been really helpful and understanding.”

Ozturk is focusing her efforts on trying to help victims with donations.

“I’m just trying to inform a lot of people and encourage donations because people are going through a lot,” she said “I would appreciate any help you guys would offer to my country overseas.”

Ozturk describes the USU community as “peaceful,” and is remaining optimistic about what the season could bring, despite the challenges.

“We have a great group of people,” Ozturk said. “We are competitive, we are enthusiastic and we are hungry to achieve more. We are working hard so we have all the elements to do great things.”

McInerney has seen a lot in his 10 years as head coach. He remains grateful for the diversity and is looking forward to what this season will bring.

“This is the most depth we’ve had in 5 years as a program, and we have a lot of very young, enthusiastic players,” he said. “I’m most looking forward to how we match up in the Mountain West. I think we have as good of a shot as anyone this year.”

USU’s international student-athletes bring diversity, community and new perspectives to their teams and the university as a whole.

“The reputation of this school goes far beyond U.S. bases. I’m pretty used to traveling to other countries, and tennis players talk. They had all the best to say about the school,” Savin said. “I wanted to be a part of the program that is going to be at the top of the conference, that cares about their athletes and also has good academic support. Realizing that Utah State has all of that, I decided to come here.”

You can watch the Aggies play at the Sports Academy & Racquet Club this season.

Madison Weber is a senior studying journalism and international studies. Her favorite things include good food, travel, dogs, and spending time with family.