FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. — University of Hawai'i men's tennis alum Andre Ilagan was one of nine players to receive a wild-card entry to the qualifying tournament for the 2026 U.S. Open. Ilagan is the first UH men's tennis player to compete at the major tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, N.Y.

After concluding his collegiate career in 2023, Ilagan turned pro, starting on the ITF Futures tour and later moving up to the ATP Challenger tour. Ilagan jumped up 33 spots to enter this week ranked at No. 210—the highest ranking of his career—and will soon rise into the Top 200 after advancing to the championship matches of his last two tournaments.

Two weeks ago at the Lexington Open ATP Challenger 75, Ilagan entered as an alternate and proceeded to reel off four straight wins before falling just short in the championship match to Edas Butvilas of Lithuania in a hard-fought, three-set battle that concluded in a tiebreaker (6-2, 1-6, 7-6 [8-6]). This past week at the Indiana Hardcourt Championships ATP Challenger 75, Ilagan again strung together four straight wins before falling to South Africa's Lloyd Harris in a championship match that also ended in a tiebreaker (6-2, 7-6 [8-6]).

Ilagan finished his stellar Rainbow Warrior career as the most decorated player in UH history. He competed in back-to-back NCAA Championships in 2022 and 2023, and became UH's first-ever Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) All-American after advancing to the NCAA's Round of 16 in 2023. Amongst his many accolades, Ilagan was named Big West Player of the Year, earned UH's top honor (the Jack Bonham Award), and was a four-time All-Big West selection in both singles and doubles. Academically, he was a CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree and a four-time Big West All-Academic awardee.

Ilagan, a 2018 graduate of Farrington High School, won back-to-back HHSAA state singles titles as a junior and senior.

Ilagan is coached by fellow Rainbow Warrior alum Daniel Llarenas, who played at UH from 2009 to 2011.

As a U.S. Open wild-card entry, Ilagan will need to win three matches to enter the main draw. Qualifying matches begin on August 23, with the main draw starting on August 30.