BATON ROUGE, La. – For the first time since LSU alumni Ken Skupski and Mark Growcott claimed the No. 1 spot in 2005, the Tigers stand alone at the top of the ITA preseason doubles rankings, with newcomers Daniil Ostapenkov and Michael Bassem Sobhy earning the distinction on Tuesday. The two also rank among the Top-20 newcomers in singles. Additionally, six Tigers rank inside the ITA’s preseason Top 125 in singles.
“I have to admit, it was surprising to see Daniil and Michael ranked No. 1 in the country since this is their first year playing college tennis," said head coach Danny Bryan. "They are accomplished doubles players, even before coming to LSU, so it’s nice to see them get recognized for that.
I think our program hasn't had six players ranked in singles in a long time, if ever. We're proud of the guys. Ultimately, though, we know these are just preseason rankings, and there is a lot of work to be done.”
Ostapenkov enters LSU with a career-high ATP doubles ranking of No. 261, while Bassem claims an ATP No. 510. The pair boasts a combined 12 doubles titles on the ITF Professional Tour, highlighting their success as they work to establish themselves as the nation’s No. 1 doubles team.
Ranked No. 25 in doubles are Erik Arutiunian and Andrej Loncarevic. The sophomore/junior duo each put on a show last season, combining for 36 total wins and nine ranked takedowns on the top two courts with their respective partners. The tandem seeks to develop their chemistry on court together as a first-time partnership.
Rounding out the Tigers’ doubles rankings at No. 69 is Enzo Kohlmann and Nikolas Stoot. Kohlmann earned 16 wins in his sophomore campaign, primarily at the third spot. The Brazilian had a successful summer on the pro circuit, capturing his first career ITF doubles title at the M15 San Salvador de Jujuy, contributing to an impressive jump from ATP world No. 822 to No. 565 within the last year. Additionally, Stoot makes his way to the Bayou as the No. 6 recruit in the Class of 2026 and has a UTR (Universal Tennis Rating) of 12.60 in doubles.
Coming off a 21-win campaign that earned him spots on the All-SEC Second Team and All-Freshman Team, Arutiunian is the top-ranked Tiger at No. 17. Directly after at No. 18 is LSU’s first-ever SEC Freshman of the Year, Olaf Pieczkowski. The Polish native also earned his way onto the All-SEC First Team and All-Freshman Team, with six of his ten wins coming against ranked opponents, all on court one. Furthermore, Loncarevic lands at No. 64 to begin his third year in the purple and gold, making it the highest appearance of his collegiate career. With 24 wins, seven match-clinchers, and an All-SEC Second Team selection, the French native secured ITA Southern Region Most Improved Player to top off his stellar season. Completing the lineup at No. 102 is Kohlmann, making his debut in the ITA singles rankings after an 11-win season.
Ostapenkov is both the No. 3 newcomer and No. 82 in the ITA rankings, while Bassem is ranked No. 12 among newcomers and No. 99 overall. Both players have reached career-high ATP rankings inside the top 600 and will look to carry their success on the professional tour to the collegiate level.
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