U.S. Tennis Open Opportunity Beckons for IU’s Andre, Antonescu
Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Michael Andre was home in Las Vegas retired from college tennis, focused on his promising used car business. Matteo Antonescu was vacationing in Hawaii taking a well-deserved break after a grueling Indiana sophomore season.
Then came the call that changed everything for these doubles standouts -- a chance to qualify for the U.S. Open, one of professional tennis ‘s four major tournaments, and something no Hoosier has done in 36 years.
They were all in.
“It’s hard to wrap my head around this,” Andre says. “This is something every player dreams about -- a chance to play in the biggest tournament in the world. We want to make the most of it.”
Adds Antonescu: “This is unbelievable. Amazing. We just have to get the job done.”
Third-seeded Indiana is one of four doubles teams to make this week’s American Collegiate Player Wildcard Playoffs set for the United States Tennis Association National Collegiate Center in Orlando, Fla. The others are top-seed Ohio State, second-seed Stanford and fourth-seed Northwestern.
Andre and Antonescu, who beat Ohio State during the regular season en route to a 19-7 record and a Big Ten double tourney semifinal showing, are two wins away from qualifying for the U.S. Open, set to start Aug. 30 in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.
The Hoosiers will face Stanford (17-10) in one Wednesday semifinal. Ohio State (37-6) will play Northwestern (17-0) in the other. Those winners will meet on Thursday with that winner advancing to the U.S. Open.
“This was something not even in my thought process,” IU coach Jeremy Wurtzman says. “A lot of players want to play pro tennis, but they usually have to start in futures challengers. To make a grand slam, I wasn’t even thinking about it. It’s pretty incredible that we’re two matches away from doing it.”
To understand how unique this is, consider only one other IU man has ever played in the U.S. Open before -- Sven Salumaa, who reached the 1990 semifinals in doubles.
Opportunity comes from a changed qualifying format designed to help U.S. tennis.
International players dominate college rosters. This week’s event is only for American singles and doubles players. Wurtzman says USTA officials selected the top four ranked American doubles teams, as well as the top four U.S. singles players.
“This is giving college tennis the best opportunity for Americans to make it to the next level,” he says. “It could jump start their careers.”
Winning two best-of-three-set matches, Andre says, means “taking care of our serve, close out easy volleys and make sure (the other team doesn’t) have a chance to make a play. If we do that, it puts pressure on the other team and gives us a chance to break.”
Adds Antonescu: “It will take a lot of grit. It will be hot. We have to take our time, relax, breathe and know we have each other. We have the strokes and the serve. It will be a mental game. Stay in the present and focus on one match at a time.”
Beyond that, Antonescu says, “We can’t go into any of these matches scared. We have to stay confident and know we can beat them.”
The regular season victory over Ohio State helps. The Buckeyes’ duo of Brandon Carpico and Nikita Filin were national runner-ups last fall to Virginia. Wurtzman calls that Hoosier victory the highlight of their careers as well as the team’s season.
“We knew we were a good team,” Wurtzman says, “but we didn’t think we’d be able to hang on at that level to win that match. We played really well.”
That must continue against the Stanford’s team of Alex Razeghi and Alex Chang that is ranked No. 6 nationally.
“We’ve already beaten the No. 1 team,” Andre says. “The first matchup is good for us. We’re not just going there to have fun. We’re going there to have fun and win.”
Andre and Antonescu thrive from similar aggressive styles centered on big serves and attacking net play.
“We serve and volley,” Antonescu says, “and are both super aggressive. We know what we’re going to do.”
Adds Andre: “At the higher levels of college doubles, it’s more about a race to the net and who can get there first.”
The fact Andre is a lefthander and Antonescu a right hander provides an added advantage. Andre’s serves can reach 135 mph. Add a wicked lefty spin and returners are in big trouble.
“It’s tough for them to deal with that,” he says.
What sets Andre and Antonescu apart as a doubles team? Chemistry and communication top the list, Wurtzman says.
They started playing doubles together last year, when Andre was a fifth-year player and Antonescu was a true freshman. The age difference made it easier for Andre to assume the leadership role. Their comfort with each other came quickly.
“Michael and Matteo both like to go to the net,” Wurtzman says. “They’re always looking to get in and serve big. They both serve and volley quite a bit. If you offset that with someone who likes to stay back a lot, and if they’re not hitting penetrating ground strokes through the court, then the guy at the net will really get in trouble.
“Matteo’s skills for doubles are phenomenal. He has great hands, really good returns, is great out of the ad side of the court with his backhand, and has a great serve. Michael is really able to play at a high level in doubles with him, even though Matteo is a lot younger.”
This season, Andre and Antonescu were 13-4 in dual matches and 3-0 against ranked teams. Besides Ohio State, they also beat No. 31 Taym Alazmeh and Danial Rakhmatullayev from Michigan State, and No. 52 Max Dahlin and Pierce Shaya from Michigan. They reached as high as No. 33 in the national doubles rankings.
“I tried doubles with other guys,” Antonescu says, “but we didn’t play the same way. With Michael, we clicked right away and kept being aggressive.”
Preparations included a lot of hitting with each other was well as IU coaches, plus running in the recent heat.
“It was super humid in Bloomington like it will be in Florida,” Antonescu says, “so that should help.”
Shoulder and elbow injuries plagued Andre throughout his six-year college career, even though he compiled a 61-19 career doubles record, including the Big Ten Doubles Tournament title in 2022 with teammate Luka Vukovic. It was why he decided to retire from the sport after IU’s season ended with an April 23 Big Ten tourney loss to Michigan State. He returned to his hometown of Las Vegas to focus on his used car business.
Then came the phone call.
“When I got the news,” Andre says, “I flew back to Bloomington and started training again.”
Andre, who earned a finance degree through the Kelley School of Business, sees this as a potential life-changing event if he and Antonescu qualify for the U.S. Open and then do well there.
“It would change my outlook on my future in tennis,” he says. “Maybe I pursue it as a pro. Being a professional player has been my dream, but I have to take care of the day-to-day stuff and not put too much pressure on myself.
“I know how mental tennis is. You have to stay in the moment and be relaxed to play your best. I have to take care of what’s in front of me. I don’t want to get ahead of myself.”
Adds Wurtzman: “Michael went through so much over his six years here with the injuries and surgeries and thinking about quitting tennis a year or two ago because he couldn’t get over his shoulder and elbow injuries.
“Getting another chance to play tennis is such an amazing opportunity. It’s an incredible blessing for him.”
While Antonescu’s college success has mainly come in doubles, he has a potential future in singles. He had a 5-3 singles record last season after going 3-7 as a freshman.
“Right now, I’m a doubles player,” he says, “but I’d like to become a singles player. I have to prove I can play.”
Wurtzman will give him that chance, starting this fall.
“We’d like him to play singles. A lot of times, we see doubles players get the confidence to get in the singles lineup. We’re hoping his junior year will be his best year. I think he can move up, have a good fall and win a lot of matches.
“With the extra practices he’s getting now, the experience he’ll get from this tournament, and the work he’s putting in, it should set him up for next season. He can use this to propel himself to feel he belongs with the best players in the country.”
For now, there’s a Wildcard Playoff to win.
“They won’t feel like they’ll be overmatched,” Wurtzman says. “They go into this thinking they can beat whoever they have to play. We’ve watched a lot of videos on Stanford and gotten to see them play quite a bit. We have a good plan in place.
“We’ll give it our best shot. As long as don’t pass out in the heat and humidity, we’ll have a good chance.”