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Jelani Sarr

  • height 6-2
  • class Sophomore
  • Hometown Baltimore, MD
  • High school ICL Academy
  • height 6-2
  • class Sophomore
  • Hometown Baltimore, MD
  • High school ICL Academy

Jelani Sarr Bio

AWARDS

  • 2x ITA Scholar-Athlete (2023, 2024)
  • SEC Academic Honor Roll (2024)
  • SEC Community Service Team (2024)
  • 2x SEC Freshman of the Week (Jan. 31, March 13)
  • CSC Academic CSC All-District (2025)

2024-25 (SOPHOMORE)

  • Earned a 16-8 record in singles with a 9-4 dual match standing
  • Played at the No. 3 (2-0), 5 (5-3) and 6 (2-1) positions
  • Earned ITA rankings in singles throughout the season, reaching a high of No. 77
  • Played a pivotal role in sending the Gamecocks to the SEC Championship, defeating No. 117 Martinez Serrano of #2 seed Mississippi State in a lengthy three set comeback 4-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(3), fighting through long rallies to get the Gamecocks one away from clinching the match. Was a crucial point as if he would’ve lost, the Bulldogs would’ve clinched the match
  • Went 23-14 in doubles from the No. 1 (2-0) and 2 (10-9) positions
  • Went 14-9 with Karahan, earning two ranked wins
  • Had to move up to the No. 1 position for the first time this season against then-No. 18 Oklahoma and face No. 39 Oscar Lacides and Bruno Nhavene when he was unranked with Karahan. Defeated the pair in a tightly contested matchup 7-6(8) to clinch the doubles point for the Gamecocks
  • Defeated No. 17 Thomas Paulsell and Ryan Colby of Georgia 6-4 alongside Karahan
  • Ranked seven separate times in doubles with Karahan, peaking at No. 39

2023-24 (FRESHMAN)

  • Began his collegiate career with a pair of statement ranked singles wins – his first in a three-set comeback over then-No. 48 Lucas Staeheli of NC State and his second in straight sets over then No. 106 Anuj Watane of North Carolina
  • Went a team-leading 12-6 in tournament singles play with five of his wins over ranked opponents, three of them in the top-50
  • Claimed his first top-20 win over then-No. 17 Kenta Miyoshi of Illinois 6-3, 6-4
  • Made his first appearance in the ITA singles ranking during the first rankings of the regular season at No. 78
  • Played in the dual singles lineup at the Nos. 3, 4, and 5 positions
  • Won 15 dual singles matches with nine of them at the No. 4 spot in the lineup
  • Clinched South Carolina’s match against rival Clemson
  • Won seven doubles matches in tournament play and 14 in dual play
  • Tallied nine doubles wins with Lucas Andrade da Silva and 11 doubles wins with fellow freshman Sean Daryabeigi

2023 

  • Joined the program in January as an early enrollee but did not compete

PRE-COLLEGE

  • Trained at the Van Der Meer Tennis Academy in Savannah, Georgia
  • Blue chip recruit who ranked as high as the No. 9 in the nation for the class of 2023 (via tennisrecruiting.net)
  • Ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the state of Georgia (via tennisrecruiting.net)
  • Joined the program with a career high ITF Juniors ranking of No. 88 (July 2022)
  • Won junior singles titles at the J5 Honfluer, J5 San Diego, J3 San Jose, and J3 Coral Gables (clay)
  • Won junior doubles titles at the J5 Honfleur, J4 Queretaro (clay), and the J5 Dakar
  • Joined the program with a singles UTR of 12.81 and was considered the No. 16 junior in the US and No. 93 junior in the world
  • Competed in The Junior Championships at Wimbledon and the US Open Junior Championships in 2022

SARR’S CAREER SINGLES

Year Overall Tourn. Dual (SEC) #1 (SEC) #2 (SEC) #3 (SEC) #4 (SEC) #5 (SEC) #6 (SEC)
2023-24 27-21 12-6 15-15 (3-8) –– –– 4-2 (0-0) 9-10 (3-6) 2-3 (0-2) ––
2024-25 16-8 7-4 9-4 (6-1) –– –– 2-0 (0-0) –– 5-3 (4-0) 2-1 (2-1)
Career 43-29 19-10 24-19 (9-9) –– –– 6-2 (0-0) 9-10 (3-6) 7-6) (4-2) 2-1 (2-1)

SARR’S CAREER DOUBLES

Year Overall Tourn. Dual (SEC) #1 (SEC) #2 (SEC) #3 (SEC)
2023-24 21-21 7-6 14-15 (3-8) –– 3-2 (0-0) 11-13 (3-8)
2024-25 23-14 11-5 12-9 (9-6) 2-0 (1-0) 10-9 (8-6) ––
Career 44-35 18-11 26-24 (12-14) 2-0 (1-0) 13-11 (8-6) 11-13 (3-8)