Can Ohio State finally win a National Championship in tennis this year?

USA Today

08-05-2025

Can Ohio State finally win a National Championship in tennis this year?
The Ohio State Buckeyes have been a contender in tennis for over a decade. The men's team reached the final twice, and the women's team lost one of the most thrilling college tennis matches ever in the 2017 semifinals against Stanford. Still, neither program has ever been able to get over that final hurdle. Is this year finally the season to do it?
We asked that question about the men, and our answer is probably not. It's certainly not impossible, and the talent is there, but we're not expecting it. What about the women? That's a different question entirely.
Ohio State Women's Tennis Outlook
This team lost just three matches on the season. The first was a tough road loss to Tenessee early in the season. After that, the Buckeyes lost twice to Michigan--though they did get revenge in the Big Ten Championship Match.
The nonconference schedule was good enough to show that this team can compete with anyone, including wins over Duke and Oklahoma State (both also in the NCAA Tournament third round). But there wasn't a match against an elite contender that would really let us gauge them. There were the three matches against Michigan, of course--and Michigan is a National Championship contender--but the rivalry means that matchup isn't so predictive.
Top-to-bottom, this Buckeyes lineup is strong. Luciana Perry and Teah Chavez are both ranked within the top 25 singles players in the country. Three other Buckeyes are ranked in the top 125 (that's how many players the ITA--Intercollegiate Tennis Association--ranks), and Sydni Ratliffe can't be very far behind. The lineup is excellent and can match up well with almost anyone.
The biggest problem for this Buckeyes team is that it isn't dominant. It too often struggles in doubles, even against weaker competition. Far too many wins have been 4-1 instead of 4-0. And while that doesn't matter much, it can mean trouble against actual elite competition.
The Buckeyes should be strong favorites in Friday's third-round match against LSU in Columbus. And they probably should be favorites in the quarterfinals, even against No. 5 seed North Carolina. But if the Buckeyes want to bring home the program's first National Championship, the next match will tell us everything.
The Buckeyes would most likely face Georgia in the national semifinals. The Bulldogs are excellent top-to-bottom, and the No. 1 team in the country thanks to four singles players in the top 80 (plus all three doubles teams ranked). That will be a very tough matchup for Ohio State. Not only would Georgia be an important late-tournament match on its own, but the Bulldogs would also be the best team the Buckeyes have faced all year. That's where we'll find out where this team really stands, assuming both get there. And it's definitely a potential matchup tennis fans in general should look forward to.