Familiarity breeds contempt.
But for the Bruins, it brings routine and comfort at a time when they may need it most.
No. 21 UCLA men’s tennis (14-6, 8-3 Big Ten) will face Oregon (14-8, 5-6) on Friday at the Student Tennis Center in Eugene before taking on Washington (8-15, 2-9) on Sunday at the Lloyd Nordstrom Tennis Center in Seattle. The road trip up the Pacific coast marks the final two matches of the Bruins’ regular season.
The teams also share a long history, having all competed in the Pac-12 before moving to the Big Ten. UCLA has faced Oregon and Washington 29 and 34 times, respectively, since 1999.
“I’ve been up there so many times throughout the years,” said coach Billy Martin. “I know the restaurants I want to go to, the hotel we’re going to stay at. I can picture the courts really well, and my older guys will too.”
The Bruins’ chances this weekend are also bolstered by the possibility of playing outdoor tennis, Martin added.
The 33rd-year head honcho said matchups against Oregon and Washington are frequently played indoors because of weather – a contrast from the outdoor courts of the Los Angeles Tennis Center.
But the skies are expected to be clear in the Pacific Northwest this weekend, which Martin is looking for his squad to capitalize on.
“I’d say maybe 30% of the time when we go up there, we get to play outdoors,” Martin said. “That would be an advantage for us.”
The weekend rendezvous also comes amid an undisclosed injury to No. 51 junior Spencer Johnson, the Bruins’ top-court singles player, that has sidelined him for three singles matches. It marks the All-American’s first stretch of consecutive absences since an elbow stress fracture kept him out for 10 weeks last season.
Johnson was also joined on the sideline by No. 94 sophomore Rudy Quan – the No. 2 player in Martin’s singles lineup – against Northwestern on April 12.
But the absences may be fueled in part by a long-term postseason vision.
“’We’re being precautious,” Martin said. “It’s not worth it to put them out at this time, and then all of a sudden it’s conference tournament and NCAA. You want them all the time, but sometimes you’ve got to be smart.”
The absences on the front end of the lineup have allowed for other athletes to shoulder bigger roles and acquire experience.
Redshirt freshman Cassius Chinlund spent last season on the sideline and played on courts five and six for the first 15 matches of 2026.
He has spent the last three matches on court four, winning each in straight sets and extending his dual match record to 14-3.
The underclassman’s season has been defined by momentum, as he has notched five multiple-match winning streaks.
“The serve is working well,” Chinlund said. “I’m going bigger on the serve and placing it much better. The percentage is going up.”
Senior Aadarsh Tripathi interrupted Chinlund’s interview after the Northwestern match to issue a declaration.
It was a compliment the redshirt freshman shrugged off, but a moment capturing the season he spent all of last season envisioning.
“Cassius Chinlund is the best freshman in America,” Tripathi said.
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