Following the 2023 spring season, the Florida Gators men’s tennis team lost seven of its nine players on its roster for various reasons, including the departure of long-time head coach Bryan Shelton. 

However, two highly touted recruits signed their National Letter of Intent in April 2023 before Shelton stepped down as head coach. 

The first to sign was Aidan Kim, the No. 2 player in the 2023 recruiting class, according to Tennis Recruiting Network. The Michigan native grew up watching his dad play professionally and wanted to take after him.

“It was always a dream of mine, waking up early in the mornings, waking them up and wanting to go play in a park,” Kim said about his parents. 

Even though he began playing at a young age, it was not until Kim began playing overseas that he realized tennis was something he could pursue. 

“Once I started to play more internationally, I was thinking, ‘Hey, I can take this more seriously,’” Kim said. “I think I can have a real shot at playing for something more for myself.”

Kim had a decorated junior tennis career, winning eight International Tennis Federation doubles titles. One came with now-sophomore teammate Tanapatt Nirundorn. Kim would also go on to win three ITF singles titles and achieve an ITF junior ranking of No. 43.

When choosing where to attend college, Kim said UF was always there. 

He said that on top of training in Orlando, he also had an existing relationship with Shelton through his dad. 

“They used to grow up and train together, so it was always in the back of my mind during the recruiting process,” Kim said. 

One of the biggest factors that landed Kim with the Gators was the success of former Gator Ben Shelton.

“Seeing Ben Shelton grow was a big factor to know that there’s a pathway to follow,” Kim said. 

The second of the two signees was Sydney, Australia native Jeremy Jin. Jin was one of the top-ranked players in Australia when he signed with the Gators and was one of the top-ranked Australian juniors according to the ITF junior rankings for the majority of 2022. 

He also got his start in tennis because of his parents, but in a different sense. 

Jin said both of his parents played, and they always dreamed of him playing as well.

He said that growing up playing junior tennis in Australia was very different than in the United States and Europe. 

Due to the smaller population, there are usually only three or four solid players in an age group, so you always go up through the ranks playing the same players, Jin said. Tennis Australia takes top players worldwide to play on different surfaces and in the different tournaments Australia doesn’t necessarily offer.

Similar to Kim, Jin said he realized tennis was a future because of the change of scenery when he moved to Spain for one year.

“That’s when I was like, ‘Okay, well, I’m not moving to Spain if I’m just doing this for fun,’” Jin said. “This is probably going to be the pathway. This is how it is going to be for the next 10-15 years of my life.”

After his last junior tournament, Jin decided he would play college tennis, and at the top of his priorities list was playing at an SEC school. His top school: UF.

“I already knew like half the guys on the team,” Jin said. “Some of them have actually left now, unfortunately, but I had those connections. I loved what the coaches had to offer when I talked to them.”

During the recruiting process, Jin talked with Shelton about his future with him and the program, but he expected the former coach’s departure. He still wanted to come here no matter what, he said. 

“I love my boys, I love my teammates,” Jin said. “It’s really nice to have that support as well when you’re kind of by yourself as a tennis player.”

Current head coach Adam Steinberg said he’s excited to see the two play this spring. 

“They’re, to me, two of the best freshmen in the nation, and that’s not overstating it,” Steinberg said. “We just talked about playing for something bigger than yourself, and I think that is going to bring out their best tennis.”

Since getting on campus in the fall, they’ve struggled with getting adjusted to Gainesville, they said. Though, they’re starting to settle in with the help of their teammates and coaches. 

In the season’s first two matches against The Citadel and North Florida, they hit the ground running as a doubles pairing, winning both matches. In singles action, Jin took the court as line one, the top singles spot, in both matches. Kim took line two, the second-highest singles spot. 

The two will next take the court Jan. 27 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, against No.15 Wake Forest as a part of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Kickoff Weekend.

Contact Chandler Hawkes at [email protected]. Follow him on X @HawkesChandler.