This post was updated Jan. 16 at 11:53 p.m.

Coach Billy Martin’s Bruins have their sights set on the mountaintop.

“We’re going to chase this national championship,” said junior Aadarsh Tripathi.

The first step toward the precipice begins Friday afternoon when No. 20 UCLA men’s tennis opens its season against UC Irvine at Anteater Tennis Stadium in Irvine. Originally scheduled at the Los Angeles Tennis Center, the match was relocated south due to ongoing fires in the surrounding area.

Coming off a second-round NCAA tournament appearance in 2024, the Bruins said they don’t see their high ambitions as a bold proclamation. It’s merely the culmination of months of endless work.

“I’ve never had more players spend the holidays here in LA instead of going back home,” Martin said. “Everybody was really, really in touch with not letting the monthlong break cause them to take a step backward from how much they were improving over the fall.”

Players like senior Alexander Hoogmartens continued to train in Westwood over winter break instead of returning to his home of Beersel, Belgium.

As Martin enters his 32nd year at the helm, he appears to exude a palpable optimism about this team.

“We’ve started with a really fresh slate this year,” Martin said. “Everybody on this team this year is really committed. We’ve got some great young talent, some good senior leadership. I’m very excited about this year. … I have high expectations for this team.”

These expectations are fueled in large part by the team’s camaraderie, which has only grown stronger in the wake of the LA County fires.

In the midst of these difficult times, the Bruins, who have been one of the few teams still practicing on campus during a week of remote learning at UCLA, have leaned on each other.

“My coach said, ‘I’m going to have my ringer on, so if you need … to evacuate, I will be right there,’” Tripathi said. “We all trust each other and know that we have each other’s back.”

On the court, UCLA’s success could start with ITA regional-winning, All-American Spencer Johnson – the sophomore aspiring to compete in the professional ranks after his UCLA tenure.

Fresh off a singles quarterfinal berth at the NCAA individual championships in November, Johnson has shown continued improvement in every facet of his game, his coach said.

“His forehand is getting more reliable,” Martin said. “(He) has gotten better at backhand, … improved in the backcourt. … He’s working hard on his mobility.”

The 2023-2024 Big West Freshman of the Year headlines the Bruins’ foes across the court. Spearheaded by Andy Nguyen, the Anteaters finished last season with their first trip back to the NCAA tournament since 2022.

This Anteaters’ team is led by the reigning Big West Coach of the Year Mike Saunders and also boasts three other All-Big West players, including Noah Zamora, Hiroki Sakagawa and Rithvik Krishna.

“They’ve got solid players at every spot in their lineup,” Martin said. “We’ve seen these players individually all fall and battled a lot of them multiple times. (There’s) mutual respect for each other.”

But for the Bruins, this season centers on an even-keeled and joyous mentality.

“Just keep focusing (on) that same mindset. … Calm and composed and keeping (our) level the same,” Tripathi said. “It’s definitely a surreal experience playing as a team, because in tennis, you really never play as a team other than college. This is great. I’m ready to go fight alongside my brothers.”