ORLANDO - The first two rounds of the 2025 NCAA Tennis Championships are just around the corner, with several highly anticipated matchups taking place at the USTA National Campus in Orlando. The UCF Knights are hosting the first and second rounds for the second time in program history and will be heading into the competition as the top seed.
The first round will kick off Saturday at 10 a.m. as second-seeded South Florida and third-seeded Florida face off. The winner of that match will progress to the next round on Sunday, looking to go up against the winner of fourth-seeded Miami and hosts UCF. The Knights and Hurricanes match will begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Only one of these four teams will emerge victorious this weekend, moving on to the Round of 16 in the NCAA Championship.
In head coach Lloyd Bruce-Burgess’s first season with the Knights in 2024, the squad advanced to the second round for just the second time in program history after a dramatic 4-3 win against Florida.
Knight Nation! It's time to show out at the USTA National Campus this weekend for @UCF_MTennis 🔥
— UCF Knights 🌴 (@UCFKnights) May 1, 2025
🎟️ https://t.co/zti9OrWfSe pic.twitter.com/yPwxxP7DYZ
THE 2025 CAMPAIGN
The UCF men's tennis team is entering the NCAA championships sitting at No. 15 nationally and following one of the Knights' most successful seasons. The squad went 21-8 overall and found their stride early on, starting off the season 8-0.
The Black and Gold continued to prosper within their second Big 12 slate. The team wrapped up conference play with a 5-3 record and a commendable performance at the Big 12 Championships that saw them make it to the final round.
Two driving forces behind the team’s rise were Junior Yassine Dlimi and Junior Mehdi Benchakroun. The two Moroccan natives were recently honored with All-Big 12 First Team Singles Honors.
This previous season marked Dlimi’s third season repping the black and gold, and his second season leading the singles lineup. On court one, Dlimi racked up an impressive 13-7 record, which consisted of several high-ranking victories throughout the season. Dlimi currently sits at No. 63 in the national rankings.
Fellow Junior Mehdi Benchakroun found similar success on the court, achieving a 16-5 singles record. The two-time Big 12 player of the week had several dramatic wins that showcased his skill, leading to a No. 84 ranking for the Knight. Benchakroun led the team in match-clinching victories, boasting six critical wins. This included notable triumphs over Utah in the regular season and Big 12 quarterfinals, where Benchakroun’s skill was clearly on display.
The stage is set 🏟️ pic.twitter.com/b30blEiQ4F
— UCF Men's Tennis (@UCF_MTennis) May 2, 2025
THE OPPONENTS
Miami - Saturday at 1 pm ET
The Hurricanes will be traveling north to face the Knights Saturday at the USTA National Campus. Miami is entering the competition as the fourth seed and will be facing the top-seeded Knights for the second time this season.
Back in February, the two battled it out, with Miami ultimately winning the match 4-2. The Knights have had immense success since then and are eager to prove themselves in their second face-off with Miami this season.
This will be Miami’s 30th appearance in the NCAA Team Championship. Miami currently sits at No. 39 nationally and has a season record of 13-10 under first-year head coach Alex Santos.
USF - vs. Florida: Saturday at 10 am ET
No. 27 USF enters the competition as the second seed and is prepared to face off against the Florida Gators in the first round. The Bulls had a successful season, where they faced off against the Knights on two separate occasions. While the Knights won the first match 4-3, the Bulls battled back later on in the season and won 6-1.
The Bulls achieved their highest ITA rankings in over a decade this season and have backed up the mark with several remarkable wins. The squad sits at 20-4, which has allowed them entry to their first NCAA Tournament since 2022.
Florida - vs. USF: Saturday at 10 am ET
The Gators enter the competition as the third seed following a 14-11 season. The team currently sits at No. 29 in the national rankings and is eager to face USF for the first time this season. This is Florida’s 42nd NCAA Tournament appearance. Notably, the Gators claimed their first national title in 2021, a historic achievement for the program.