Up 5-1 in doubles, holding match points on return, Shion Itsusaki stepped to the baseline in the deuce court, awaiting his opportunity. As the ball was struck, he slid gently left to allow the serve to slide right into his wheelhouse, and he crushed a forehand cross-court for a winner.
Game, set, match.
Not a bad way to introduce yourself to your new teammates, and Itsusaki impressed all day on Thursday, Jan. 29, in his first appearance for Tennessee.
Just a year ago, the native from Osaka, Japan, was competing in the junior boys’ draw of the Australian Open, the opening major of the tennis calendar. His career best junior ranking was No. 53, and he won six junior titles in 2024. Suffice to say, he was a talented addition to Chris Woodruff’s squad, but he only joined the Vols days ago.
“He’s practiced maybe three days, and then he gets in here, and it’s tough for him,” associate head coach Matt Lucas said.
Everything is new for the young freshman. The scenery is new. The format is new. The language is new. The people are new. In spite of all the changes, he has adjusted quickly and acclimated to his environment well.
“The longer the season progresses, he’ll get more acclimated to us,” Lucas said. “Now he’s got five guys he’s playing beside and coaches that can help him throughout the match, so it’s an adjustment, but he’s doing well.”
For any freshman trying to prove himself to a new team, it can be easy to play tight and cautious, or perhaps to play too big and get away from their strengths. At no point did Itsusaki look or play like a freshman.
“It’s an adjustment,” Lucas said. “Just wanted to see how he competed, see his demeanor, the way he carried himself on the court, and it was great.”
He was calm, cool and collected through each of his matches. Playing alongside an experienced player like Jose Garcia certainly helps, as the sophomore took the Osaka-native under his wing in both doubles matches.
Garcia led the way and provided a strong presence, and Itsusaki seemed energized by that demeanor in each of their doubles matches. When the veteran spoke, the rookie listened. When given the opportunity to step up, Itsusaki proved himself time and again. On one occasion versus Eastern Kentucky, he hit a defensive backhand lob on the full stretch, and the ensuing overhead shot was dumped into the net for an error. Such defense and will can endear one to his teammates quite quickly.
He struck the ball well from the baseline, and he was aggressive at the net when he needed to be. The few mistakes he made, he quickly erased and regrouped. Garcia was a great partner to him, and he to Garcia, as they looked in sync all day. Across their two doubles matches of the day, they dropped three games combined.
Singles can be a different story, as a player is on an island left to their own devices. The coach can only help so much, so the player has to deliver on their own. Itsusaki did more than tread water — he cut through it with ease.
He surrendered just two games in his first singles win as a Vol. In his second singles match, he regressed slightly – he dropped three games en route to victory.
“I thought he was really, really good — solid in the doubles,” Lucas said. “Really solid performance down on six, aggressive but disciplined.”
He was quick, agile and defended effectively when he needed to. When he had the opportunity, he dictated play with his forehand. Just as importantly, he was measured in his attack, not overextending himself or surrendering easy points with unforced errors. Lucas said he counted as few as four unforced errors in Itsusaki’s singles match against Bellarmine.
For the level he brought throughout the day, he played with a smile. He competed fearlessly and freely all day. He struck the ball with conviction and belief that he belonged. When pressured on his own serve, he held his nerve and held the opposition at bay, displaying emotion in the right ways at the biggest moments. He even gave a little bow-and-arrow celebration after his doubles win against Eastern Kentucky.
It is no easy feat for a freshman to go 4-0 in their first day with their team, but that is exactly what Itsusaki did. Just as impressive is the fact that he lost just seven games across those matches.
Bellarmine and Eastern Kentucky were never going to be the most talented teams Tennessee would face this year, but they certainly were not slouches. Still, for Itsusaki to come up with the showing he did against both teams on Thursday was very impressive.
What these results mean for him going forward is in the hands of the coaching staff, and his strong level of play will make such decisions difficult with the talent and experience in front of him. All in all, his first impression was an emphatic statement, one that will be hard to ignore.
