When Southern California’s Trevor Svajda steps onto the courts at the USTA National Campus this June, he’ll return as one of college tennis’ top players looking to take the next major step in his career. After a year that saw him dominate the college ranks and break through on the ATP Tour, the Pacific Beach native is heading back to Orlando to chase a guaranteed spot on tennis’ grandest stage: the US Open.

Following his runner-up finish at the NCAA Singles Championships for the Southern Methodist University (SMU) Mustangs, Svajda has earned automatic entry into the second annual American Collegiate Player Wildcard Playoffs, set for June 16-18 in Orlando, Florida. His selection follows a breakout season in Dallas and continues his rise through the collegiate and professional ranks. The playoff will feature many of the nation’s top American collegiate players competing for six US Open wild cards.

The winners of the men’s and women’s singles playoffs will receive US Open main draw wild cards, while the finalists will earn qualifying wild cards. Men’s and women’s doubles champions will also receive main draw wild cards.

Following the Southern California Blueprint

Svajda is looking to replicate a path blazed just one year ago by fellow Southern Californian Stefan Dostanic. In the inaugural 2025 event, Dostanic, a native of Irvine, captured the men’s singles title immediately after leading Wake Forest to an NCAA team championship.

Dostanic used the playoff as a springboard, defeating Columbia’s Michael Zheng in the final to earn his first US Open main draw appearance before climbing inside the ATP Top 400. Since then, Dostanic has successfully transitioned to the full-time pro circuit and broken into the ATP Top 300. Now Svajda, who has also climbed inside the ATP Top 400, currently sitting at No. 393, hopes to follow him to New York.

For SMU Head Coach Grant Chen—a fellow Southern Californian and UCLA alumnus—this trajectory is a testament to the region’s tennis culture.

“Tennis in Southern California has so much history,” Chen said. “But it’s also a result of the support and infrastructure that USTA SoCal has built starting from grassroots, juniors, men’s open and the SoCal Pro Series. To provide playing opportunities in the area is so beneficial for player development.”

This will not be Svajda’s first time navigating the high-pressure environment of the American Collegiate Player Wildcard Playoffs. Last year, he competed in the inaugural 2025 event, reaching the semifinals of the men’s doubles draw alongside SMU teammate Louis Cloud. Though they fell in the semifinals to Duke’s Cooper Williams and Theo Winegar, the experience gave Svajda a first-hand look at the event’s intensity.

A Historic Run with the Mustangs

Svajda’s invitation follows one of the strongest collegiate tennis seasons in the country. Operating at Line 1 for the Mustangs, he amassed a staggering 21-3 singles record during the 2026 spring season, highlighted by nine wins over ranked opponents. Across both the fall and spring seasons, Svajda compiled an overall 32-5 singles record with 17 ranked victories, finishing with the fourth-most single season singles wins in SMU program history.

He also ascended to the ITA No. 1 ranking on four separate occasions, tying for the most weeks at No. 1 by any collegiate player during the season and solidifying his status as one of the nation’s premier players. His dominance throughout the year earned him All-ACC Singles First Team honors, while he was also named ACC Player of the Week three times.

Behind Svajda’s leadership, SMU climbed to one of its highest national rankings in program history. Week after week, Svajda provided a steady anchor for the Mustangs, pairing physical consistency with a calm demeanor in pressure moments.

“Trevor has certainly benefited from his cool San Diego vibes and aura,” Chen said of Svajda’s mental toughness. “But it also has taken day in, day out practice to help achieve that mentality. Sports and tennis are wonderful but it’s imperative to keep it all in perspective. To focus on the present. To concentrate on the point being played. With each match, you walk on playing your opponent and it’s what makes tennis so unique. Trevor has done a great job working on his game and building skills allowing him to keep improving and focusing on development.”

His postseason run also placed him among the most accomplished players in recent program history. By reaching the NCAA Singles Championship final, Svajda became the first Mustang to advance to the title match since Richey Reneberg in 1986 and the first SMU player in 21 years to earn All-American honors while reaching the Round of 16 at the NCAA Individual Championships. That level of consistency throughout the season earned him First Team All-ACC honors and a finalist selection for the prestigious Hurd Award.

Professional Breakthroughs and Personal Milestones

Beyond the college courts, Svajda’s poised approach has translated into major professional breakthroughs. Earlier this spring, he delivered the biggest win of his young professional career at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, defeating world No. 135 Luca Nardi in a gritty three set battle. The victory made him the first SMU player to win an ATP Masters 1000 level match since 1999 and further solidified his growing reputation as a legitimate threat on the professional circuit. 

After beginning the season outside the ATP Top 600, Svajda steadily climbed into the Top 400 behind a string of Challenger level wins and strong collegiate performances. His rise has been fueled by steady development through the SoCal Pro Series and a string of successes on the ATP Challenger circuit, including a breakthrough run to the final of the Winston-Salem Challenger in 2026. Along the way, he has continued to sharpen the all court game and relentless baseline consistency that have become trademarks of his playing style. Last June in San Diego, he also captured his first pro title on Father’s Day, a deeply personal milestone with his father and longtime coach, Tom, watching from the stands.

“It’s always special and emotional to play in your backyard,” Chen said of Svajda’s success in San Diego. “Trevor’s success is rooted in tremendous familiarity, and playing in front of loved ones is always powerful. He has matured during college, and the life experiences he has gone through have helped shape the man he has become.”

The success across both levels has underscored just how seamlessly Svajda has balanced the demands of elite college tennis while preparing for the professional tour full time.

A Family Legacy at the US Open

While many in the Orlando field will be eyeing their first Grand Slam experience, the Svajda name is already a staple at Flushing Meadows. Trevor’s older brother, Zach Svajda, is a two-time winner of the USTA Boys’ 18s National Championships (2019, 2021) and has made multiple US Open main draw appearances.

“It’s rewarding to see Trevor and his older brother Zach pursue the same dream but in their own journey,” Chen noted. “It shows that you must find the path that works for you.”

Trevor is no stranger to that spotlight himself. In 2023, after finishing as the runner-up at ‘The Zoo’ in Kalamazoo, he earned a wild card into the US Open men’s qualifying tournament. Though he fell to veteran James Duckworth, the experience served as a vital starting point and offered an early glimpse into the intensity and scale of Grand Slam tennis, all before he had even begun his collegiate journey. 

Later that same week, he proved his mettle in the US Open Junior Championships, producing one of the tournament’s standout upsets by defeating reigning Wimbledon boys’ champion Henry Searle in three sets to reach the third round.

Now, nearly three years later, Svajda returns with considerably more experience and momentum.

The Road to New York

The American Collegiate Player Wildcard Playoffs were launched in 2025 as part of the USTA’s expanded NCAA-linked wildcard initiative, a program designed to bridge the gap between campus and the professional circuit. The initiative builds on a pathway previously traveled by collegiate stars like Danielle Collins (Virginia – 2014, ‘16); Mackenzie McDonald (UCLA – 2016); Emma Navarro (Virginia – 2021); Ben Shelton (Florida – 2022); and Peyton Stearns (Texas – 2022).

Now, another Southern Californian looks to follow that path. For Svajda, this opportunity represents a major step toward returning to Flushing Meadows, this time with the chance to bypass the qualifying rounds and earn his place directly in the main draw.

The full playoff fields will be finalized on May 27, with all matches streamed live by Cracked Racquets from the USTA National Campus Collegiate Center in Orlando.