Joey Johnston
Athletics Senior Writer –GOUSFBULLS.COM THE BEST SOURCE FOR ALL THINGS USF SPORTS
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When examining the roster for the USF men’s tennis team, your eyes are immediately drawn to a newcomer, Hugo Car of France.
As the nation’s No. 1-ranked player in 2024, Car won the junior-college national championship in singles while playing for Eastern Florida State College.
“The first time I saw Hugo, he immediately passed the eye test,” said Bulls coach Ashley Fisher, who watched Car before last season began. “He was practicing, but you could see the ridiculous talent, the way he could generate pace. And he is still improving by the day.
“I remember coming back and telling our associate coach (Jonathan Wolff), ‘I found a guy.’ We are so excited to have him at USF and we believe he’s going to make a difference for us.”
The Bulls are coming off a 10-17 finish — where injuries wrecked the lineup and USF had eight 4-3 defeats in dual matches — and are eager to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022.
“I know I talked about how we were going to have a great year — and we did not — but it has been a while since I’ve been as excited as I am for the group we have this season,” Fisher said. “I believe we are capable of great things.
“The standard is reaching the NCAA Tournament. That is our expectation every season. But we also need to get back on top of teams in our conference (American Athletic Conference). I believe we have the talent and skill to do just that.”
Fisher said he figures Car, freshman Ettore Danesi of Brazil, junior Elijah Cham of Australia and junior Agustin Cuellar of Bolivia will contend for spots at the top of the lineup. Car has the most intriguing upside.
He’s from Marseille, France, the only child of a medical-supply sales director and teacher. He has dabbled in soccer, but tennis has always been his primary game.
“Tennis is an interesting game because you can be playing the best match of your life at 9 o’clock and it can turn into the worst match of your life at 11 o’clock,” said Car, who has two seasons of eligibility at USF. “So the way I succeed is being consistent and not thinking too much. I play my best when everything is free and easy. I just stay free in my mind, stay in tune with my game and look for the opportunities.”
Car has a lethal forehand and an improving serve. With Fisher’s encouragement and guidance, Car is learning how to better attack at the net and end points earlier.
“As good as Hugo is now, I think there’s tremendous room for growth,” Fisher said. “When I first saw him, I don’t think he realized how good he is. Maybe he still doesn’t. That’s OK.
“Some guys just make tennis look easy. He’s one of those guys. Yet, he was never one of those prodigies who was constantly being told how great he was by his coaches. He has been under the radar, really. We’re just fortunate that it all came together.”
Car, who initially attended an NAIA school in Ohio before coming to Florida, was acquainted with Pierre Luquet, a former USF player from France. Knowing about USF’s sterling academic reputation and great location for tennis, Car got in touch with Fisher through Luquet.
Fisher said he thought it sounded good. Once he saw Car in person, it was a done deal.
“I really enjoy Hugo a lot and I think he sees the opportunity here for an education and the chance to advance his tennis,” Fisher said. “Win or lose — with him, it’s mostly win — he enjoys this game. He has that French artistry in his game, where it’s very creative and entertaining to watch.”
The Bulls open Friday morning at home against AAC opponent Wichita State, then face NCAA Division II foe Florida Southern in the afternoon. Because of an eligibility issue, Fisher said Car must sit out USF’s first three matches, then he’s cleared. Cuellar (Bolivia) and junior UCF transfer Toto Llanes (Uruguay) will also miss some time because they are playing Davis Cup matches for their native countries.
“Once we have everyone on board and get into the heart of the season, I think we have a chance to be very good,” Fisher said. “There’s a lot of talent on our roster.”
It begins with Car, a national champion — and a likely target for everyone on the other side of the net.
“More people know my name, yes,” said Car, who won the singles title in his second professional tournament, a $25,000 event in Boca Raton. “Now it’s up to me to live up to that (reputation). I am excited for what’s to come.”
