The remarkable rise into stardom in the professional realm for Jay Friend continues. The Arizona men’s tennis senior claimed his first ATP Challenger title at the Fairfield Challenger on Sunday in California.
Just weeks removed from winning the ITA All-American national title, Friend has solidified himself as one of the most successful young players in collegiate tennis.
Going through a stacked field, Friend
put together a remarkable week. He was able to take down ATP veterans and seeded competition such as Michael Mmoh (No. 321). Friend’s championship run earned him 50 ATP points, moving him further up the professional ranks. He finished it out by beating Edward Winter in a 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-2 match.
Earning these accolades while balancing his professional and collegiate careers has greatly impressed his college coach Clancy Shields.
“Jay has shown tremendous growth over the past year, not just in his tennis, but in his maturity and approach to competition,” said Shields. “Winning the ITA All-American and now an ATP Challenger back-to-back is incredibly rare. It’s a testament to his work ethic, belief, and the culture our program continues to build. We couldn’t be prouder of him.”
The Arizona junior has now become the first Wildcat in program history to win both an ITA National Championship and an ATP Challenger title in the same season.
Last season, he earned a First-Team All-American honor and he was the ITA Rafael Osuma Sportsmanship Award recipient. He also went 34-4 in single matches and 19-6 in double matches.
Friend’s next challenge will come at the Lincoln Challenger while still having to prepare for the 2026 collegiate dual season with the Wildcats.
