Today, he is vying for a spot in the U.S. Open.
Kim, who now competes for Ohio State University, will take on Michael Zheng of Columbia University at 5 p.m. June 16 in a wild card playoff at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Florida, with the event streamed live from the USTA National Campus website.
“At this level, it’s hard with very small margins, every match is pretty close,” Kim said June 13, just hours before boarding a plane for Florida. “But I have known (Zheng) for a while, we’ve trained together. We’re friends, but the court is a little different, especially for what we are playing for.”
This is the first time the USTA is hosting a wild card collegiate event for the U.S. Open, Kim said. The event, held June 16-18, features the four top-ranked American men and four top-ranked women in single-elimination play, as well as men’s and women’s doubles teams.Kim, 20, was an at-large selection to the field of four men, and not the only Michigan native. Ozan Baris of Okemos, who plays tennis at Michigan State University, earned a spot by reaching the final of the NCAA men’s single tournament in November.
Kim is ranked 4th in the U.S. and 8th in the world in men’s collegiate tennis, making good on the promise he first showed as a youngster in Michigan. Back in 2016, at just 12-years-old, he was a top-ranked junior player, scoring an invite to play at the Orange Bowl.
At that time, Kim, who has been playing tennis “since I could hold a racket,” was coached by his father Andrew, a former professional tennis player. He trained five hours a day while doing a mix of in-person and online schooling, and he favored clay courts.
Nearly a decade later, Kim is almost a foot taller at 6’3, prefers hard courts, and is under the tutelage of Ohio State coaches after transferring from the University of Florida.
“A main part of this is my college coaches,” said Kim, who is majoring in sports industry at OSU and entering his junior year this fall. “When I transferred, my level definitely jumped. I couldn’t be more grateful. They are constantly working with me and helping my game.”
Kim trains for two hours every morning and another two hours in the afternoon, with daily hourlong gym workouts. Weekends are “more relaxed.”
Even with a grueling schedule, he says he has always enjoyed tennis and his dreams remain the same — to be a professional tennis player, compete in the Olympics, and to play in the U.S. Open.
He is now just a few steps, and perhaps aces, away from making the U.S. Open dream come true.
“I play pretty aggressive from the baseline, but my serve is a main focus,” Kim said. “I’m more of an all-court type player, but the serve is a big aspect in my game. I plan on hitting a lot of aces.”
If Kim wins the June 16 match, he will be guaranteed a spot in the qualifying rounds of the U.S. Open and could secure a berth in the world’s biggest tournament with a win on June 18.“The determination to win always comes with nerves, but in high pressure situations, I embrace it a little easier,” said Kim, whose parents, Andrew and Alice Kim, now Orlando residents, will be on hand to watch their son play. “Coming into the match for the playoffs, I don’t want to lose because of nerves, or being passive or tentative. I just want to play my game, so it’s easier to reflect on, whether I win or lose.”
Contact reporter Susan Bromley at sbromley@hometownlife.com
This article originally appeared on Hometownlife.com: Milford tennis prodigy Aidan Kim competing for a spot in the U.S. Open
Reporting by Susan Bromley, Hometownlife.com / Hometownlife.com
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
