At the beginning of the year, the LSU Men’s Tennis Team was flying under the radar. Right now they are ranked inside the top 10, thinking about the SEC Championship.

Mental strength is one of the keys to playing tennis. In previous years the team had a lack of confidence that wasn’t allowing them to play to their full potential.

“We were believing, but not really. You know, it was always like belief, and then when things were starting to turn bad or when we had a bad start, we were not believing anymore.”

For the 2026 season, things changed for the better. The players that had been in previous seasons were lowerclassmen. Coming into the 2026 season, they have matured and become a better version of themselves, which has changed the results.

“This year I think it’s the same as we felt last year. The teams are feeling it when they’re playing us. They arrive with good energy, they believe. But as soon as we start to play well in doubles and have a good start in singles, the teams start breaking down a little bit, and I feel that they are a little bit scared of us when they play us.”

During the offseason, head coach Danny Bryan made some key moves to improve the team.

“We obviously added three players that have contributed significantly in the lineup: Matias, Eric, and Olaf. So yeah, that combination has been really good for us.”

Matias Ponce de Leon is a freshman from Spain that came to LSU in his last year of eligibility to play for the Tigers, transferring from Alabama. Erik Aritiunian, Belarus, and Olaf Pieczkowsk, Poland, are both freshmen. All three players are key starters.

After four wins in a row to end the regular season in games against Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Florida and Kentucky, players’ expectations are high as they are peaking at the right time.

“The goal for sure is to win the SEC Championship, and I mean, to be honest, we also have the team and the momentum to win the NCAA as well.”

Coach Bryan is focused on one day at a time while understanding that this team has depth that could help them reach the next level.

“I believe in the guys a ton, to be honest, so I think we have tons of potential, and I am really looking forward to the next month.”

The development and potential of this team could continue to increase, as Ponce de Leon is the only player leaving the team at the end of the season.

The team is seeded third in the conference and will travel on Wednesday to College Station, Texas, to compete in the SEC Championship.