Patrick Sebastian is Ready For Year One
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Accustomed to the Florida heat and attracted to the beautiful University of Miami campus, the decision to join the Hurricanes’ men’s tennis program was easy for freshman Patrick Sebastian.
On tap to make the 59-mile trek down I-95 from Boca Raton, Fla., Sebastian is set to launch into his collegiate career with the first day of classes scheduled for Aug. 17.
A native of Rochester, N.Y., Sebastian grew up in a business-oriented family, alongside his older brother, Michael, and parents. Despite also seeking an interest in the business world once his tennis career draws to a close, for the youngest Sebastian it has always been about the sport of tennis.
“I started tennis when I was four, when I learned the basics,” Sebastian said. “Then I started playing in tournaments once I turned eight and by the time I turned 10, my parents started to notice my potential. At the same time, I started to get really into it and I knew it was something I wanted to take to the next level.”
Two years later, Sebastian and his mother made the move to Boca Raton where he enrolled in an academy, while his brother matriculated to Dayton University and his father stayed in upstate New York to handle his businesses. However, even with the change in scenery for the Sebastian household, the support was perpetual.
“We would always schedule trips back and forth,” Sebastian said. “They all were very supportive of me and my tennis, which I think helped immensely.”
After the move to the Sunshine State, Sebastian’s tennis career began to blossom. Competing in countless tournaments in the U.S. and across the globe, his love for tennis reached new heights.
One of his favorite places he has had the opportunity to visit was Martinique, a small island located in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean Sea.
Along with the beautiful scenery, the 5-foot-10 right-hander excelled at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournament, reaching the championship round.
Overall, Sebastian has ranked as high as No. 783 in the ITF rankings and No. 21 in the Tennis Recruiting Network rankings.
With the success showcased at the amateur level, Sebastian caught the eye of Miami assistant coach Beck Pennington while playing a match in Boca Raton.
From the moment he met Pennington, Sebastian was intrigued by Miami, and it did not take long for his decision to become concrete.
“I liked Beck a lot. He is a super nice guy,” Sebastian said. “He talked to me a little bit about college and the University of Miami and it seemed to be everything I was looking for. They then brought me down for a visit, where I got the chance to see the beautiful campus, meet [head coach] Aljosa [Piric], as well as the guys on the team. The whole process was amazing.
“What stood out to me the most was obviously the coaches. The coaches really made a big impact on me. And then the guys, they were awesome,” Sebastian added. “The weather doesn’t hurt either. Going somewhere with warm weather was definitely on the top of my list from the beginning.”
With the NCAA fall tennis campaign cancelled due to COVID-19, Sebastian is maintaining a positive attitude and is looking to hit the ground running in the classroom, as he begins preparing for the 2021 spring season.
“I am just excited to get together with the guys and hit the fitness and training sessions hard. I want to work as hard I can and continue to get better with my teammates,” Sebastian said. “Another thing will be my grades and really getting ahead with my school work.”
With a squad loaded with upperclassmen and a heap of NCAA tournament experience, Sebastian is looking forward to learn from all nine of them.
“All of the guys have been very helpful and they are absolutely great guys. I can’t wait to start hanging out with them, practicing with them and getting to know them,” Sebastian said. “So far it has been amazing, even though we have mostly only been communicating through Zoom. But I just can’t wait to officially get to campus and get to work.”
