Senior Aarav Sane’s fourth and final season at the University of California, Riverside, (UCR) has been a very consistent one. He’s helped secure integral points for UCR such as defeating California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo’s no. 2 player in singles and securing the doubles point against UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) alongside junior Lucas Ibarrondo Suarez. .
“The results may not always show it, but the [team] have put in a lot of work over the last six months, and the coaches have really pushed us to be better, and you can see the results,” shared Sane when asked about his thoughts on UCR’s 2025 season. “We beat UCSB in doubles recently. It is ranked in the top 50 in the nation. I don’t think [we had] ever beaten them in doubles.”
On April 7, the Highlanders lost to UCSB 4-1, yet Sane was still proud of his play against the number one ranked team in the conference.
“I considered ourselves the underdog, I went in with no expectations and I was just trying to enjoy whatever’s left [of the season] and that just helped me play better” expressed Sane. “I think over the last four months, I’ve become more confident in my game style, so I’ve started to trust my shots more, and that helped me stay in the matches longer.”
The Highlanders concluded their season with a 5-0 loss to UC Davis on April 18, bringing their overall record to 2-17. This Friday, Sane and the Highlanders will compete in the first round of the Big West championship on April 25, in San Diego.
