For three days in June, the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Florida, became the stage for eight of the country’s top American collegiate players, all competing for a coveted path to the US Open. Among them were three players with Southern California ties: Pacific Beach’s Trevor Svajda, Irvine native and former Fountain Valley resident Sebastian Gorzny, and Woodland Hills’ Katrina Scott.

By the end of the American Collegiate Player Wild Card Playoff, all three had earned their way to New York. Gorzny captured the men’s singles title and a wild card into the US Open main draw, while Svajda and Scott reached their respective singles finals to earn wild cards into US Open Qualifying.

Held June 16 through 18 at the USTA National Campus Collegiate Center, the second annual event featured men’s and women’s singles and doubles competition, with six US Open wild cards on the line. The singles champions earned spots in the US Open main draw, while the finalists received wild cards into qualifying.

Svajda Battles Through to the Final

Svajda entered the four player men’s singles field as the No. 1 seed alongside Gorzny of the University of Texas, Ohio State’s Aidan Kim, and Michigan State’s Matthew Forbes.

His path to New York came down to a dramatic semifinal against Kim.

After dropping the opening set 6-2, Svajda responded with a 6-3 second set to force a deciding third. Neither player could pull away, sending the match to a tiebreak at 6-6. Svajda then delivered under pressure, closing out the 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(3) victory with an ace and final forehand winner.

“I had a couple of match points early in the third set there, and to just not let it get away from me and stay mentally there was a big deal for me,” Svajda said after the match. “I’m happy I could play a really solid tiebreaker, it gave me so much emotion there. It means a lot to me to be able to get an opportunity to play in the US Open.”

The victory guaranteed Svajda a place in US Open Qualifying and set up an all Southern California matchup in the championship.

Gorzny, who was born in Irvine and spent part of his youth in Fountain Valley before moving to Texas for college, defeated Forbes in straight sets to join Svajda in the men’s singles final. The matchup brought together two players with deep Southern California ties, this time with a US Open main draw berth on the line.

For Svajda, the run capped a breakthrough 2025=26 season at Southern Methodist University. The SMU junior reached No. 1 in the ITA singles rankings four times, advanced to the NCAA Singles Championship final, and finished No. 4 nationally. He became the first SMU player since Richey Reneberg in 1986 to reach the NCAA singles title match.

His success extended to the professional level as well. At the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells earlier this year, Svajda defeated Luca Nardi, then ranked No. 135 in the world, in qualifying for the biggest ranked win of his career. The victory also made him the first SMU player to win an ATP 1000 level singles match since Reneberg in 1999.

Svajda’s US Open opportunity also marks a return to the site of his Grand Slam debut. Nearly three years after competing in US Open Qualifying in 2023, when he faced then No. 111 James Duckworth, Svajda will return to New York with another chance to make his way into the main draw.

This time, he will arrive with a college season that established him among the best players in the country and growing experience on the professional circuit.

“I’m honored to have the opportunity to play in this year’s US Open singles qualifying event,” Svajda said. “It is always special to play in our home Grand Slam.”

“The USTA hosted an incredible event in Orlando with the American Collegiate Wild Card Playoffs, and I look forward to heading back to New York in August.”

Gorzny Claims Main Draw Wild Card

Standing between Svajda and a US Open main draw berth was a familiar face with Southern California roots.

Gorzny, who was born in Irvine and formerly lived in Fountain Valley, entered the playoff as the No. 2 seed after completing his collegiate career at Texas. He finished the event without dropping a set. After defeating Forbes 6-2, 6-2 in the semifinals, Gorzny faced Svajda in the championship match and earned a 6-2, 6-4 victory to claim the men’s singles title and a wild card into the US Open main draw.

Gorzny’s path to New York adds another chapter to his Southern California tennis story. Before moving to Texas, he established himself as one of the area’s top junior players, competing at events throughout Southern California and building a strong network of longtime friends and rivals in the region. He later went on to win the 2022 Wimbledon junior doubles title before beginning his collegiate career in Texas.

The victory capped an outstanding final collegiate season for Gorzny. He finished the year ranked No. 2 in the ITA singles rankings and was named the ITA Division I Men’s Senior Player of the Year. He also earned ITA All American honors, was named Most Outstanding Player at the ITA National Indoor Championships, and helped lead Texas to the NCAA championship match.

Gorzny finished the season with a 26-8 singles record, including a 20-6 mark at the No. 1 position in dual matches, and recorded seven wins over top 15 opponents.

Now, after a standout collegiate career, Gorzny will return to the US Open for the first time as a singles main draw competitor.

For the Irvine native, the opportunity represents both a professional milestone and a return to the Grand Slam stage where he previously competed in the 2022 doubles draw.

Scott Earns Qualifying Wild Card

Southern California was also represented in the women’s singles final, where Woodland Hills native Katrina Scott battled her way to a US Open opportunity.

Scott, who competed for the University of Tennessee, entered the playoff as the No. 2 seed and defeated Ohio State’s Luciana Perry 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 in the semifinals to reach the championship match.

In the final, Scott faced North Carolina’s Reese Brantmeier, who earned the women’s singles main draw wild card with a 6-4, 7-6(7) victory. Scott’s runner up finish secured her a wild card into US Open Qualifying.

The opportunity adds another chapter to Scott’s connection with the US Open. The Woodland Hills native made her Grand Slam debut at the 2020 US Open and advanced to the second round of the main draw before falling to Amanda Anisimova.

Scott enters this year’s US Open Qualifying draw following an impressive 2025 26 season at Tennessee. A First Team All American, she defeated six top 50 opponents during the season and finished the collegiate campaign ranked No. 11 in the ITA singles rankings.

Three Southern California Connections, Three Paths to New York

With Gorzny winning the men’s singles title and Svajda and Scott finishing as singles finalists, three players with Southern California ties earned guaranteed opportunities at this year’s US Open through the American Collegiate Player Wild Card Playoff.

Gorzny will enter the singles main draw for the first time, while Svajda and Scott will begin their US Open journeys in qualifying. All three now have the opportunity to represent Southern California on the sport’s biggest American stage.

US Open Qualifying begins Monday, August 24, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The four day event will determine the final 16 positions in the men’s and women’s singles draws, with players needing to win three matches to advance into the 128 player main draw.

For Svajda and Scott, the road to New York started with a run to the finals in Orlando. For Gorzny, it ended with a championship and a guaranteed place in the US Open main draw.

Together, the three Southern California players will bring three different paths to New York, but the same opportunity to take the next step on tennis’ biggest stage.