Mirrors show us a reversed image of ourselves.

And while reflections are timeless, conditions are transient.

The Bruins faced the Hoosiers and Boilermakers in the midst of their worst start to a season in coach Billy Martin’s then-32-year tenure last season. Those matches, however, kickstarted a six-game win streak that propelled the Bruins into the Big Ten tournament.

Now boasting a nearly flipped record, UCLA men’s tennis (6-3) will journey to the crossroads of America to open conference play, facing Indiana (6-3) at the IU Tennis Center on Friday and Purdue (4-5) at the Schwartz Tennis Center on Sunday.

“It’s great to be on the other side,” said sophomore Rudy Quan. “Obviously there’s a sense of urgency, but it’s always great to not put yourself in a hole. So happy for the start we’re having but not satisfied.”

The Hoosiers have yet to defeat a ranked opponent this season, which may give the Bruins an edge coming off their highest ranked win of the year against then-No. 9 San Diego. However, momentum alone may not be enough to halt Indiana’s talent.

Redshirt junior Sam Landau, who has lost just one match on court one this season, will likely face junior Spencer Johnson.

“It’s great that we know we can beat anyone in the country,” Quan said after his most recent victory on court two against San Diego’s Vincent Marysko. “We have a great group of guys, and we’re really hungry.”

The Hoosiers have dominated at home, boasting a 5-1 record at the IU Tennis Center in 2026.

On the other hand, the Boilermakers have struggled to begin the season. Situated one game under .500 and having won only two matches since January, Purdue will begin its conference slate with matchups against No. 22 USC and UCLA this weekend.

However, Purdue’s struggles should not warrant complacency.

The Boilermakers have found relative success at home, defeating Illinois State in a 4-0 sweep Feb. 26, while the Bruins hold a 3-2 away record.

Most notably, sophomore Nour Fathalla, an Alexandria, Egypt, local who has leapfrogged his way onto court one and the ITA singles rankings, headlines Purdue’s roster.

Last season, Purdue’s loss to UCLA set the stage for a five-game losing streak that tanked its Big Ten tournament aspirations.

Now, it may look to this match as a potential turning point.

“It’s really important for us to recover,” said redshirt junior Emon van Loben Sels in anticipation for the Midwest trip.

In the first half of the season, the Bruins have been top heavy, attaining most of their wins on the frontcourt.

“We’re winning a lot of one, two and three matches but not winning a lot in the back part of our lineup,” Martin said. “That’s where we need to keep working hard and trying to get those guys believing in themselves.”