The Tribune

By JONATHAN BURROWS

Tribune Sports Reporter 

jburrows@tribunemedia.net

MICHAEL Major Jr delivered an undefeated performance at the Morgan State Invitational, winning both of his singles matches and partnering with a freshman teammate for a doubles victory as the Howard University men’s tennis team captain continued what he described as the best fall season of his college career.

Major went 3-0 at the invitational, defeating Mount St Mary’s 7-6, 6-4 in the number one singles position before teaming up with Yared Alfred to beat Loyola 6-2, 7-5 in doubles. He capped the weekend with a hard-fought 6-4, 2-6, 11-9 victory over Hampton in singles.

The Hampton match proved to be a particularly significant test for Major, who had lost to the same opponent two weeks earlier after dropping the deciding set 6-0.

The Howard senior said the previous defeat had stayed with him, making the opportunity to respond an important measure of his mental development.

“I think it’s a lot of confidence, honestly,” Major said. “I lost to this guy like two weeks ago, and honestly, it’s been irking me since then because I feel like I played good tennis, but I feel like it wasn’t my best performance mentally.”

Rather than allowing that loss to affect his approach, Major focused on competing without regret and trusting his preparation.

He said his ability to remain composed in tight situations has improved after several challenging matches throughout the fall season, including encounters in which he had faced match point and set point.

“I think once again I just stayed true to what I know and played with no regrets,” he said. “I’d rather swing than try to do something just to keep the one record that I know isn’t going to win.”

The match against Hampton lasted approximately two and-a-half hours, testing Major physically as well as mentally.

In the deciding tiebreak, he believed the difference came down to which player could maintain composure rather than abandon the approach that had brought him success.

“I just stayed solid and I played it as if it was the first set,” Major said. “I swung, I didn’t slow down. I didn’t try to just push or change my game style. I just played the tennis that was winning the entire match and played with no regrets.”

Major said his opponent began looking for shorter points as the pressure increased, while he continued to trust his groundstrokes and fitness. That approach allowed him to capitalise in the deciding tiebreak and secure the victory.

The victory over Mount St Mary’s presented a different challenge, as Major admitted he was not entirely satisfied with his groundstrokes early in the match. He had to save set points before eventually taking the opening set in a tiebreak, a turning point that helped him settle into the contest.

“I got off to a pretty rough start and I had to fight back in the set,” he said. “When it came to a tiebreak, I think I just told myself I went back to what I know how to do and the game style that I know how to play. I just stuck to that and stayed a little bit tougher than the guy, made fewer errors and tried to play clean tennis every point.”

Major secured an early break in the second set and maintained control to complete the straight sets victory, demonstrating his ability to find solutions even when his game is not at its sharpest.

That resilience also proved important in doubles, where he partnered with Alfred, a freshman, to overcome Loyola after the pair fell behind 3-0 in the second set.

Major said he encouraged his teammate to remain composed, reminding him that they had already demonstrated their ability to break their opponents’ serve. The pair concentrated on holding serve and waiting for opportunities to turn the set around, eventually drawing level at 5-5 after Loyola surrendered a game with a double fault.

Major then served out the match to complete the 6-2, 7-5 victory.

“The major theme of it all is just composure and mentality behind it,” he said. “Tennis is a sport where, if you let your mind take too much control of you and you don’t just trust your abilities and trust your training, it could really make or break you.”

For Major, that trust has been built through demanding physical training and a change in how he responds to adversity.

He credited his cousin, Philip Major, and his friend Denali for helping him develop a stronger mindset during the summer, particularly when dealing with mistakes and difficult stretches in matches.

Previously, he said, a bad point could linger for several games or even an entire set, leaving him struggling to regain his rhythm.

He now places greater emphasis on moving on quickly and focusing on the next point rather than dwelling on what has already happened. “I think they really helped me to view losses, view not maybe having a good practice and view certain things a different way,” Major said. “I think it helped me to be a little bit more mature in that sense and just in terms of letting go.”

He identified his physical conditioning, endurance and growing confidence as major strengths in his game, allowing him to remain competitive during long rallies and demanding matches.

However, he believes maintaining concentration and resisting the temptation to change a winning approach remain areas for improvement.

Major also carries leadership responsibilities as Howard’s team captain, a role that has reinforced the importance of setting an example for his teammates.

He said competing against opposing teams’ top players gives him an opportunity to measure his progress while maintaining the same preparation and approach he would use against any opponent.

“This is honestly the best fall that I’ve had in my college career,” he said.

The team’s collective determination was particularly evident during the invitational, according to Major, who said the players’ willingness to support one another helped him find another level of energy during his deciding set against Hampton.

“Everybody was in a third set and everybody was fighting like their life depended on it,” he said. “Even though we were tired, everybody spread the love, everybody made sure that the other guy on their team was okay and still pushing to the best of their ability.”

Major said watching his teammates continue competing through fatigue reminded him that he was not fighting alone, strengthening his resolve to finish his own match.

He hopes to carry that team spirit into the remainder of his senior season, with individual recognition and a conference championship among his ambitions.

Rather than measuring his progress solely through wins and losses, Major said he wants to remain committed to the style of tennis he knows he can play, while making every match competitive regardless of the outcome.

“I don’t want to play any match and have any regrets,” he said. “I feel like if I’m able to play the way that I’ve been playing and stay true to who I am on the tennis court, I feel like the wins are going to come.”

Major is targeting first-team all-conference recognition and hopes to guide Howard to a championship in his final collegiate season.

He believes the team has the personnel to contend, provided the players continue putting in the work required to reach that level.

“I think that’s a realistic goal with the team that we have and the pieces that we’re trying to put in place,” he said. “If the work is done, then it’ll be possible.”