Sunday afternoon at the Texas Tennis Center.
Tucked deep in the crowd lies a man who once dominated these courts. Yet, this time it’s different. There’s no racket in his hands, no sweat to sting his eyes and no pressure to represent the horns on his hat. He’s there to cheer, to celebrate a close friend playing in his final home game and to return to the city and school he first fell in love with.
For a diehard Texas sports fan, the name Eliot Spizzirri may ring a bell. Winning Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons while amassing a 65-11 record in singles, he’s undeniably established himself among college tennis’ elite.
Now, nearly a year removed from his last Texas tennis match, Spizzirri is far from forgetting his tenure as a Longhorn. Not solely because of the legacy he’s built on the court, but the personal growth he’s experienced off it.
“The whole college experience (are) very formative years of your life,” Spizzirri said. “But at the same time, I think when you’re chasing something like a national championship with your best friends, that alone will teach you a lot about yourself. It’ll teach you a lot about other people, and at the end of the day, it just helps you grow.”
Entering college, Spizzirri remained convinced there was no life outside the baselines. Tennis was everything to him, giving him purpose and identity. Yet college gave him the chance to find balance, foster new relationships, expand academic interests and simply take less consideration into the week-to-week results on the courts.
“(College) teaches you how to find a little bit more balance in your life,” Spizzirri said. “I think one of the biggest things I learned at UT that helped prepare me is to understand that tennis isn’t everything.”
Despite such immense success, Spizzirri’s college career had no lack of hardships. From playing through a debilitating wrist injury to losing in the national championship against TCU in his final game, the man carries his scars with pride. But that’s who he’s always been, someone who forges fires, not in spite of adversity, but because of it.
“He has a tendency to rise to the occasion. When his back does get put against the wall, he responds really well,” head coach Bruce Berque said during a 2023 media availability, when Spizzirri was arguably entering the peak of his collegiate career.
Since leaving Texas, Spizzirri has continued to add to his trophy case. Most recently, he won the San Diego Open in March, marking his first Association of Tennis Professionals Challenger Tour title.
Still, one title won’t define Spizzirri, nor satisfy him. For the Texas Ex, progress means more than a polished forehand or killer slice. Tennis may be his passion, but being the best was never his end goal.
“ My goal is not to just win,” Spizzirri said. “My goal is to enjoy what I’m doing and be happy and prepare myself for life after tennis. I think my goal is to just become the sharpest human and build my character as much as I can.”
Spizzirri is not quite sure what awaits him after life as a professional. But one thing he does know is he wants to stay connected to the place that helped shape him. Whether it’s mentoring young players, coaching the team, or just being around for the games, Texas tennis will always be a part of his story. And when the time comes, he hopes to return to the city and school he first fell in love with.
