Svajda: Grief, gratitude and a homecoming triumph in memory of his father
After spending just four days in Asia last September, far short of his planned three-week stay, Zachary Svajda returned home to California. The American played one qualifying match at the ATP 250 event in Chengdu and admittedly struggled to focus in that defeat, even breaking down in tears before the match.
Svajda’s father, Tom, had been diagnosed with cancer in 2024 and was now in the final stages of life, on the other side of the world. After the 23-year-old lost in Chengdu qualifying, there was no hesitation. Svajda booked a flight home that night.
“It was just so hard for me to focus and also the doctors came back saying, ‘It could be any day’,” Svajda told ATPTour.com. “That’s when I was like, ‘I’m done, family comes first and there will always be tournaments’.
“Right after the match, I spoke to my mom — my dad couldn’t speak anymore because of all the things that were going on with him — I was talking to my mom, ‘I’m coming home and taking care of you guys’.”
A month before his abbreviated trip to Asia, Svajda was competing inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, the largest tennis-only venue in the world, facing 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic in the second round of the US Open. In the aftermath of his home Slam, Svajda considered shutting down his season to remain at home with his family.
<img alt=”Novak Djokovic needs four sets to oust Zachary Svajda at the 2025 US Open.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2026/02/19/15/30/djokovic-svajda-us-open-2025.jpg” />
Novak Djokovic needs four sets to oust Zachary Svajda at the 2025 US Open. Credit: Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images
“I remember one of the last things my dad said to me was like, ‘I’ll be okay, just go play’, that’s what made him happy,” said Svajda, who on Thursday faces Frances Tiafoe for a spot in the Delray Beach Open quarter-finals.
Svajda’s earliest memories of playing tennis include Tom, who was a teaching pro at Pacific Beach Tennis Club in San Diego. Long before Svajda began travelling the world as a professional tennis player, he and his father would volley a balloon back and forth in the living room when Zach was two years old.
The quality father-son time never stopped.
“He taught me everything because I was homeschooled my whole life, so I was with him 24/7 on the tennis court and at home,” said Svajda. “He really taught me commitment and making the right decisions and also sacrifices.”
When Tom passed on 13 October, Zach did not touch a racquet for a month. He stayed close to his family and helped his mom relocate to Texas, where Svajda’s two brothers live. Svajda made his comeback at the Australian Open, battling through qualifying to earn his place in the main draw. It was a meaningful first step back onto the Tour.
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Svajda then returned to southern California and competed at the ATP Challenger event in San Diego, staged 10 minutes from where he grew up. The familiarity was both comforting and heavy.
At first, Svajda was unsure how it would feel to step back into a place so closely tied to his father.
“I said to my team, ‘I don’t think I want to play San Diego because it just feels weird going back there with everything that happened with my dad’,” recalled Svajda.
But the No. 106 player in the PIF ATP Rankings turned uncertainty into a memorable full-circle moment, with friends and family in attendance. Svajda was crowned champion, defeating former No. 15 Sebastian Korda 6-4, 7-6(5) in the final.
“I remember when I won my semi-final match and moved on to the final, I was talking to myself in my head, ‘I wish dad was here’,” Svajda said. “I also thought about that while holding up the trophy or hitting an ace on match point.”
Having claimed his seventh ATP Challenger title, Svajda received a one-of-a-kind trophy that was only fitting for winning in San Diego: A surfboard.
“I thought it was so cool to have a trophy like that, it’s different from all the other ones out there,” Svajda said. “Definitely the biggest [trophy I have], and thankfully it was in San Diego, so I just put it in my trunk and with the windows down as well, drove it back home to L.A. that night.”
Svajda has undoubtedly faced immense grief in recent months, but the American also has a sense of gratitude when he reflects on the treasured time spent with his father.
“[It was] very memorable spending those last few months and days with my dad, even though he couldn’t get out of bed for many months,” Svajda said. “It was so sad, but it really taught me a lot and I’ve learned a lot from him and also the experience.”
<img alt=”Zachary Svajda and his mother, Anita, at the San Diego Challenger trophy ceremony.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2026/02/19/15/25/svajda-sandiegoch-2026-trophy.jpg” />
Zachary Svajda with his mother, Anita, at the San Diego Challenger trophy ceremony. Credit: Christopher Zuercher/San Diego Open