Courtesy of Nevada Athletics –
RENO, Nev. – Nevada Men’s Tennis senior Youssef Kadiri will make history as the first individual in program history to compete at the NCAA Championships, Tuesday in Waco, Texas.
Kadiri was drawn against third-seeded and fifth-ranked Colton Smith from Arizona. The first-round match is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT on Tuesday, November 19.
The NCAA Individual Championships run from Tuesday, November 19 through Sunday, November 24 at the Hurd Tennis Center on the campus of the University of Baylor.
SCOUTING SMITH
Smith, a senior from Tenino, Wash., represents the Wildcats for the third time in his career at the NCAA Singles Championships. Smith is currently ranked fifth in the country by the ITA.
In the spring, Smith was a semifinalist at the NCAA Singles Championships, defeating four ranked opponents en route to the semifinals. Smith’s top-16 finish crowned him an ITA All-American, the program’s first since 2006. Smith also earned a berth to the Singles Championship in 2023.
Smith was named to the All-Pac-12 First Team twice, in 2023 and 2024. Smith won the Pac-12 regular season championship with Arizona all three seasons prior to Arizona moving to the Big 12. In 2023-24, Smith held a 34-11 record, including a 19-9 record against ranked opponents.
MAKING HISTORY
Kadiri will become the first singles player to represent Nevada at the NCAA Individual Championships.
Victor Ouvrard and Robert Allan were the first players to represent Nevada at the NCAA Individual Championships in either singles or doubles, qualifying in 2014. Ouvrard and Allan lost to VCU’s Alexis Heugas and Nick Jones in the first round of the doubles draw, 7-6, 5-7, 6-3.
Kadiri is 17-5 heading to Waco, tied for the most he has won in a single year. Kadiri is six wins away from the 10th most in a Nevada single-season, 23.
FOLLOW ALONG
Follow the NCAA Individual Championships on ESPN+ through the CrackedRacquets CrossCourt Cast, HERE. Individual courts will be available on PlaySight, HERE. Live results will be available through SideArm, HERE.
PATH TO WACO
Kadiri qualified for the NCAA Individual Championships by earning a top-six spot at the ITA West Sectional Championships. Kadiri’s run at the tournament began on November 7 with a victory over #92 Dzianis Zharyn of Washington, defeating the Husky. 7-6 (1), 6-4. In the round of 16, Kadiri defeated Pepperdine’s Chris Papa in three sets, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. His quarterfinal victory over Stepanov was the final victory needed for the clinched birth.
QUICK TIDBITS
- 2024 All-Mountain West Doubles (Partner: Matheo Coupu)
- 17 singles victories through fall ties career high single-season victories
- 6 singles wins away from Nevada top-10 single-season victories
- Played 1-3 last season for Nevada, primarily #2 singles
- Plays #1 doubles for Nevada
- Missed NCAA Doubles berth by one match (fourth at ITA West Sectionals)
- Defeated #11 doubles pair Wally Thayne/Zach Fuchs (BYU) earlier this fall (Partner: Lucas Hammond)
- In NCAA clinching match, his California opponent’s teammates dubbed Kadiri, “Rog,” as in Roger Federer. The California players likened Kadiri’s play in the 6-0 final set to the 20-time grand slam champion. Federer is Kadiri’s favorite tennis player of all time
- Has battled shoulder injuries this season, forcing him to pull out of the Mountain West fall qualifier championship
- Considered retirement following his sophomore year due to shoulder and hip injuries. Cites teammates as motivation to keep playing
- Transferred from Oregon after freshman season
