Fresh start. Fresh faces. Fresh blood.

And the Bruins have the opportunity to slice more emotional wounds into their opponents this weekend.

After rolling past UC Irvine with a 7-0 shutout victory in its season opener last Saturday, No. 10 UCLA men’s tennis (1-0) will host UC Santa Barbara (1-0), Pacific (1-0) and New Mexico (2-0) at the Los Angeles Tennis Center for ITA Kickoff Weekend on Saturday, the first time the Bruins have hosted the event since the shortened 2020 season.

Santa Barbara and Pacific will face off Friday morning, followed by an afternoon clash between UCLA and New Mexico. The winners of the respective dual matches will advance and battle it out Saturday to clinch a spot at February’s ITA National Team Indoor Championship.

The Bruins head into the weekend following a pair of debut wins from redshirt freshman Cassius Chinlund and junior Andy Nguyen – a UC Irvine transfer.

“The most important thing is mental growth,” Chinlund said. “I just learned how to put my head down … Finish out these tournaments that were difficult for me to finish out before.”

Early wins can often breed complacency, but coach Billy Martin keeps the Bruins in check.

Martin’s role in keeping his players accountable is vital, especially after junior Spencer Johnson and redshirt junior Emon van Loben Sels narrowly mustered tiebreaker singles wins against UC Irvine.

“We want to talk with everybody individually a little bit, assess their match,” Martin said. “This is an ongoing process, and that’s why I love college coaching, because this team we have now is going to be so much better.”

The Bruins may use this spirit of reflection to avoid repeating last season’s rocky start, when they lost six of their first eight matches.

But sophomore Rudy Quan added that just one year under Martin’s wing has unlocked new dimensions to his game.

“Experience is a big thing. I think that if we had the experience we have this year, and we were to translate it to last year, I think we would be able to get a better start. But that’s not how life works,” Quan said.

The Bruins have already begun to shape a cultural DNA that contrasts an individualistic attitude in a sport defined by isolated courts and personal scorelines.

Chinlund reflected this mentality, adding that he has embraced themes of collective identity and selflessness to help the Bruins secure a competitive advantage, even after notching a career-first collegiate victory.

“Whether or not I play, it’s important to keep being an active team member and support these guys and be happy for them,” Chinlund said. “This is a whole team effort. I understand it’s an individual sport, but every single guy needs to be on the same page … I am fully confident that we will qualify for the indoors.”