EAST LANSING — The Capital City Tennis Classic is currently taking place at Michigan State University, bringing together a mix of current and former MSU players, elite collegiate athletes from across the United States, and emerging professionals from the International Tennis Federation (ITF). This tournament, which began in 2019, is being hosted for the first time at the newly renovated Spartan Tennis facility, a $10 million project that was officially dedicated in May.
Former MSU tennis coach Harry Jadun, who is instrumental in organizing the event, expressed excitement about the tournament's debut at the upgraded venue. He noted, "This was a project in collaboration with community members to bring this tournament to East Lansing. It’s pretty cool for it to be the first major event this summer that showcases that investment in the facilities by Michigan State. It progresses through the week, and the competition gets better and better." Jadun emphasized that many of the players participating are on the cusp of making their mark in major tournaments, stating, "These are the types of guys you’re going to be seeing playing in Grand Slams in a few years, just cutting their teeth into the circuit."
The tournament features a competitive format with 32 singles players and 16 doubles teams engaged in a knockout bracket, which will continue until August 16. Athletes from over 20 countries are vying for the opportunity to enhance their ITF World Tour rankings and potentially advance to the Challenger Tour, which serves as the second tier of professional tennis before reaching the ATP Grand Slam level.
Among the standout competitors is Australian James McCabe, the top seed, who has experience playing in multiple Grand Slam events. Close behind him is Sebastian Gorzny, the No. 2 seed and an NCAA champion, who is set to compete in this year’s U.S. Open. Ozan Baris, a former Spartan and Big Ten Player of the Year, is the No. 3 seed and previously won the Capital City Classic in 2023.
Other notable participants include Ohio State’s Nikita Filin, who is preparing for doubles competition at the U.S. Open, alongside current MSU players Mitchell Sheldon, Lincoln Battle, and Thomas Nelson. Jadun remarked on the significance of allowing collegiate players to participate, stating, "With collegiate players being allowed to play, this is a way for those players to test the waters and see if they’re ready, sort of like amateurs in golf, to see if they’re ready to turn pro. It’s a cool part of the summer circuit that we’ve got here, and hopefully it’s a staple for years to come."
The semifinals are scheduled for August 15, starting at 11 a.m., with the championship matches taking place on August 16 at noon. Admission to the event is free, making it an accessible opportunity for tennis enthusiasts to witness rising talent in the sport. For more details, fans can visit capitalcitytennisclassic.com.
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