Zachary Svajda: Sadness, gratitude and a homecoming triumph in memory of his father | ATP tour | Tennis

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Svajda: Sadness, gratitude and a homecoming triumph in memory of his father

American speaks about the loss of his father in October 2025
February 19, 2026

After spending just four days in Asia last September, far less than his planned three-week stay, Zachary Svajda returned home to California. The American played one qualifying match at the ATP 250 event in Chengdu and admittedly struggled to concentrate during that defeat, even breaking down in tears before the match.

Svajda’s father, Tom, was diagnosed with cancer in 2024 and was now in the final stages of life, on the other side of the world. After the 23-year-old lost in qualifying to Chengdu, there was no hesitation. Svajda booked a flight home that evening.

“It was just so hard for me to concentrate and the doctors came back and said, ‘It could be any day,’” Svajda told ATPTour.com. “Then I thought, ‘I’m done, family comes first and there will always be tournaments.’

“Right after the game I spoke to my mother – my father couldn’t talk anymore because of all the things going on with him – I spoke to my mother: ‘I’m coming home and taking care of you guys’.”

A month before his abbreviated trip to Asia, Svajda took part in Arthur Ashe Stadium, the largest tennis venue in the world, where he faced 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic in the second round of the US Open. In the aftermath of his home Slam, Svajda considered ending his season to stay home with his family.

Novak Djokovic needs four sets to beat Zachary Svajda at the 2025 US Open.” style=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/images/news/2026/02/19/15/30/djokovic-svajda-us-open-2025.jpg”>
^{_{Novak Djokovic needs four sets to beat Zachary Svajda at the 2025 US Open. Credit: Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images}}

“I remember one of the last things my dad said to me was, ‘It’s going to be okay, just go play,’ and that made him happy,” said Svajda, who faces Frances Tiafoe on Thursday for a spot in the quarterfinals of the Delray Beach Open.

Svajda’s earliest memories of playing tennis include Tom, who was a teacher at the Pacific Beach Tennis Club in San Diego. Long before Svajda traveled the world as a professional tennis player, he and his father flew a balloon back and forth in the living room when Zach was two years old.

The quality father-son time never stopped.

“He taught me everything because I was homeschooled my whole life, so I was with him 24/7 on the court and at home,” Svajda said. “He really taught me dedication, making the right decisions and also making sacrifices.”

When Tom passed by on October 13, Zach didn’t touch a racket for a month. He stayed close to his family and helped his mother move to Texas, where Svajda’s two brothers live. Svajda made his comeback at the Australian Open, battling through qualifying to earn his place in the main draw. It was a meaningful first step back in the Tour.

Svajda then returned to Southern California and competed in the ATP Challenger event in San Diego, 10 minutes from where he grew up. The familiarity was both comforting and heavy.

At first, Svajda wasn’t sure what it would feel like to return to a place so closely associated with his father.

“I told my team, ‘I don’t think I want to play San Diego because it just feels weird going back there with everything that happened with my dad,’” Svajda recalled.

But the No. 106 player in the PIF ATP Rankings turned uncertainty into a memorable full-circle moment in front of friends and family. Svajda was crowned champion, beating former number 15 Sebastian Korda 6-4, 7-6(5) in the final.

“I remember when I won my semi-final and advanced to the final, I said to myself in my head, ‘I wish dad was here,’” Svajda said. “I thought about that too while holding up the trophy or hitting an ace on match point.”

After clinching his seventh ATP Challenger title, Svajda received a unique trophy only fitting for the victory in San Diego: a surfboard.

“I thought it was so cool to have a trophy like that, it’s unlike any other out there,” Svajda said. “Definitely the biggest [trophy I have]and luckily it was in San Diego, so I just put it in my trunk and drove it back home to LA that night too.

Svajda has undoubtedly been dealing with immense sadness in recent months, but the American also experiences a sense of gratitude when he remembers the precious time he spent with his father.

“[It was] I spent the last few months and days with my father, even though he couldn’t get out of bed for months,” Svajda said. “It was so sad, but it really taught me a lot and I learned a lot from him, and also from the experience.”

Zachary Svajda and his mother, Anita, at the San Diego Challenger trophy ceremony.” style=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/images/news/2026/02/19/15/25/svajda-sandiegoch-2026-trofy.jpg”>
^{_{Zachary Svajda with his mother, Anita, at the San Diego Challenger trophy ceremony. Credit: Christopher Zuercher/San Diego Open}}