The Hillsdale College men's tennis team added another promising prospect to what was already shaping up to be a large and impactful freshman class with the signing of Ryan Papazov at the end of May.
Papazov, from Sutton, a suburb of London, England, and a graduate of Cheam High School, is the fifth member of the class of 2028 joining the Chargers this fall, the third international prospect signed by Hillsdale in that class, and joins sophomore Henry Hammond, another Londoner, as the second player from the United Kingdom on Hillsdale's men's tennis team.
A veteran singles player with 343 victories on the junior circuit beginning from an early age, Papazov brings a wealth of tennis experience to Hillsdale's lineup. Papazov stood out playing for the Surrey County team, helping them win the Salisbury Cup in 2023 with strong performances in singles, doubles and mixed doubles matches. He also captured the Surrey County championship with partner Callum Dickson in 2021 as well. For the 2023 season, Papazov was 34-16 against solid competition in singles in a country that's known for tennis.
Papazov also is a strong student, one of the top in his class at Cheam High and with strong GCSE scores across all subjects. He's also active in his community as a tennis instructor, working to help players of all ages to improve at the game.
The UK native joins Eddie Bergelin (Bjarred, Sweden/Polhemskolan), Alex Cordero Lopez (Madrid, Spain/IES Giner de los Rios), Rintaro Goda (Troy, Michigan/Athens) and Sam Plys (Downers Grove, Illinois/Downers Grove South) as part of a five player class that should help the Chargers restock in talent with the graduation of three four-year starting veterans this spring. With openings in the lineup, all five players should get a chance to compete for a spot on the court early in their careers and to contribute to the Chargers' success for several seasons.
Photo is courtesy of the athlete