Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
2022-23 Men's Tennis Roster
Roster
Rocha, Francisco
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
Francisco Rocha
- Ht./Wt.:
- 6-2 / 184
- Class:
- Graduate Student
- Hometown:
- Porto, Portugal
Bio
Career
• 82-44 record in singles
• 85-57 record in doubles
• 167 career wins
Highest Career ATP Ranking
Singles: No. 1090
Doubles: No. 1478
Awards
2023
• Conference USA Athlete of the Week (4/5/23)
• 2023 Conference USA All-Academic Team
• 2023 All-C-USA First Team Singles
• 2023 All-C-USA First Team Doubles
• 2023 ITA Ohio Valley Regional Most Improved Senior
• 2023 C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll
• 2023 C-USA Academic Medal
2022
• 2022 NCAA Doubles Championship Participant
• 2022 All-C-USA First Team Singles
• 2022 All-C-USA First Team Doubles
• 2x Conference USA Player of the Week (2/9/22 & 3/30/22)
• 2022 C-USA Academic Medal
• 2022 C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll
• 2022 CoSIDA All-District Academic Team
• 2022 MTSU President's Award Winner
• 2022 ITA Scholar-Athlete
2021
• 2021 NCAA Singles Championship Participant
• 2021 Conference USA Player of the Year
• 2021 All-C-USA First Team Singles
• 2021 Conference USA All-Academic Team
• 2021 MTSU President's Award Winner
• 2021 C-USA Academic Medal
• 2021 C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll
• 2021 ITA Scholar-Athlete
• 2x Conference Athlete of the Week (1/27/21 & 2/17/21)
2020
• 2020 ITA Scholar-Athlete
• 2020 C-USA Academic Medal
• 2020 C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll
2019
• 2019 C-USA Academic Medal
• 2019 C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll
• 2019 ITA Scholar-Athlete
2022-23 (Graduate Student)
• Singles: 17-11 (6-4 in fall, 11-7 in spring)
• Doubles: 22-11 (7-3 in fall, 15-8 in spring)
Fall
Took down No. 10 Alex Kotzen of Columia 6-2, 7-5... Advanced to the Round of 16 at the ITA Regional Championships... Qualified for the main draw of the ITA All-Americans in singles... Defeated No. 6 Alan Magadan/Sebastian Rodriguez of UTSA 6-1, 6-3... Reached the Round of 32 of the Main Draw with Brostrom Poulsen at the ITA All-Americans.
Spring
Started the season ranked No. 109 in singles.... Earned his highest doubles ranking of No. 23... Primarily playing the No. 2 court in singles and No. 1 court in doubles... Has picked up two ranked sinlges wins, defeating No. 121 Alex Martinez of No. 41 Oklahoma and No. 93 Matisse Bobichon of No. 30 VCU... Tallied four ranked doubles wins... Defeated No. 49 Michael Heller/Andrew Zhang of Duke 6-3... Won 7-6 (3) against No. 30 Filippo Moroni/Juan Lopez de Azcona... Tallied up a 7-6 (6) victory over No. 49 Adam Neff/Pranav Kumar of SMU... Won 7-6 (6) over No. 72 Dimitrios Azoidis/Reed Collier of Texas Tech... Tabbed Conference USA Athlete of the Week on April 5... Named All-C-USA First Team in Singles and Doubles.
2021-22 (Senior)
• Singles: 23-8 (4-4 in fall, 19-4 in spring)
• Doubles: 19-11 (4-3 in fall, 15-8 in spring)
Fall
Career-high #38 ITA ranking … Went 4-2 while advancing to the Round of 32 at the ITA DI Ohio Valley Regional Championship in Knoxville in both singles and doubles … 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 win over TCU’s Luc Fomba at the ITA All-American Championships at Tulsa.
Spring
Started the Spring slate at #82 in the nation … Went 15-1 to open the season, split time with teammate Slump on the top flight … Went 2-0 at the 74th Annual Blue Gray National Championship … Four wins over power-5 opponents … 2x Conference USA Athlete of the Week Awards … Team leading 4.0 GPA while studying Business Administration … Picked up one win at the 2022 Conference USA Championship in the finals against Thomas Brown/Mikhail Sokolovsky of Charlotte in doubles ... Named First Team All-C-USA in Singles and Doubles ... Went 2-0 at the NCAA Team Championship Round of 32 against #20 NC State, earning both individual wins in the dual match against the Wolfpack ... Qualified for the 2022 NCAA Doubles Championship with Freshman Oskar Brostrom Poulsen, dropped the opening round match to No. 28 Overback/Kikuchi of California in three sets.
2020-21 (Junior)
• Singles: 23-8 (10-2 in fall, 13-6 in spring)
• Doubles: 18-16 (7-5 in fall, 11-11 in spring)
Fall
Posted the most wins on the team in the fall (17) … Defeated the No. 46-ranked Daniel Rodrigues (6-2, 6-3) (ended the year ranked #2) of South Carolina and No. 89-ranked Florian Broska (6-1, 2-6,7-5) of Mississippi State … Went undefeated at the Buck Bouldin Battle of the Boro (6-0) and Southern Miss Invite (5-0) in singles and doubles … Partnered with five different Raiders, most matches with Max Rauch (2-2) … Rauch and Rocha defeated the No. 80-ranked doubles from South Carolina (6-1, Thomas Brown and Beau Pelletier).
Spring
Three-time Conference USA Player of the Week … Started the spring playing at No. 3, going 5-1, before jumping to No. 2 where he went 3-1, before playing at No. 1 for the remainder of the season, where he went 5-4 … Highest-ranked Conference USA Singles player (#55), earning him a berth in the NCAA Singles Championships … Was ranked as high as #35 in the ITA singles rankings … Defeated #45 Chase Ferguson of South Florida to help the Raiders defeat the 29th-ranked Bulls … Picked up notable wins over Iowa, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt (2x), DePaul, and Georgia State … Notched a 6-2, 6-1 win over UAB in the Conference USA quarterfinals … Became first Blue Raider sine 2010 to qualify for the NCAA Singles Championships.
2019-20 (Sophomore)
• Singles: 11-8 (4-6 in fall, 7-2 in spring)
• Doubles: 7-5 (5-2 in fall, 2-3 in spring)
Fall
Knocked off the No. 15-seeded doubles pair with partner Max Rauch at the ITA Ohio Valley Regional … Reached the B Singles Consolation Final at the Louisville Invitational falling to Filho (Louisville) 6-4, 4-6, 10-7.
Spring
The spring season was cut short due to the health concerns of the COVID-19 on March 12 … LaLance Invite (Singles: 2-0, Doubles: 1-2) … Rocha finished the season with a 7-2 dual singles record and broke his career-high in singles wins with 13 … Posted season-best three match win streak in singles (Jan. 17 to Jan. 26) … Was 3-2 in dual match doubles, all with partner Max Rauch at the No. 3 spot.
2018-19 (Freshman)
• Singles: 8-9 (3-7 in fall, 5-2 in spring)
• Doubles: 19-14 (6-2 in fall, 13-12 in spring)
Fall
Finished 3-1 in doubles play at the Penn Invitational … Won two singles and three doubles matches at the Short/LaLance Shootout … Knocked off the No. 15-seeded doubles pair with partner Max Rauch in the ITA Ohio Valley Regional
Spring
Earned a spot in Blue Raider program history by finishing with 19 doubles wins (tied 12th-best among freshmen all-time)… Won five straight dual singles matches to finish the spring season … Was 13-12 in dual doubles matches, including a 5-2 record at No. 3 spot … Posted a season-best streak of seven doubles wins to start the spring season.
Prior to Middle Tennessee
Regional singles champion in the U-18 division … Won multiple tournaments in Portugal in doubles … Advanced to the quarterfinals of a U-18 tournament.
• 82-44 record in singles
• 85-57 record in doubles
• 167 career wins
Highest Career ATP Ranking
Singles: No. 1090
Doubles: No. 1478
Awards
2023
• Conference USA Athlete of the Week (4/5/23)
• 2023 Conference USA All-Academic Team
• 2023 All-C-USA First Team Singles
• 2023 All-C-USA First Team Doubles
• 2023 ITA Ohio Valley Regional Most Improved Senior
• 2023 C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll
• 2023 C-USA Academic Medal
2022
• 2022 NCAA Doubles Championship Participant
• 2022 All-C-USA First Team Singles
• 2022 All-C-USA First Team Doubles
• 2x Conference USA Player of the Week (2/9/22 & 3/30/22)
• 2022 C-USA Academic Medal
• 2022 C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll
• 2022 CoSIDA All-District Academic Team
• 2022 MTSU President's Award Winner
• 2022 ITA Scholar-Athlete
2021
• 2021 NCAA Singles Championship Participant
• 2021 Conference USA Player of the Year
• 2021 All-C-USA First Team Singles
• 2021 Conference USA All-Academic Team
• 2021 MTSU President's Award Winner
• 2021 C-USA Academic Medal
• 2021 C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll
• 2021 ITA Scholar-Athlete
• 2x Conference Athlete of the Week (1/27/21 & 2/17/21)
2020
• 2020 ITA Scholar-Athlete
• 2020 C-USA Academic Medal
• 2020 C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll
2019
• 2019 C-USA Academic Medal
• 2019 C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll
• 2019 ITA Scholar-Athlete
2022-23 (Graduate Student)
• Singles: 17-11 (6-4 in fall, 11-7 in spring)
• Doubles: 22-11 (7-3 in fall, 15-8 in spring)
Fall
Took down No. 10 Alex Kotzen of Columia 6-2, 7-5... Advanced to the Round of 16 at the ITA Regional Championships... Qualified for the main draw of the ITA All-Americans in singles... Defeated No. 6 Alan Magadan/Sebastian Rodriguez of UTSA 6-1, 6-3... Reached the Round of 32 of the Main Draw with Brostrom Poulsen at the ITA All-Americans.
Spring
Started the season ranked No. 109 in singles.... Earned his highest doubles ranking of No. 23... Primarily playing the No. 2 court in singles and No. 1 court in doubles... Has picked up two ranked sinlges wins, defeating No. 121 Alex Martinez of No. 41 Oklahoma and No. 93 Matisse Bobichon of No. 30 VCU... Tallied four ranked doubles wins... Defeated No. 49 Michael Heller/Andrew Zhang of Duke 6-3... Won 7-6 (3) against No. 30 Filippo Moroni/Juan Lopez de Azcona... Tallied up a 7-6 (6) victory over No. 49 Adam Neff/Pranav Kumar of SMU... Won 7-6 (6) over No. 72 Dimitrios Azoidis/Reed Collier of Texas Tech... Tabbed Conference USA Athlete of the Week on April 5... Named All-C-USA First Team in Singles and Doubles.
2021-22 (Senior)
• Singles: 23-8 (4-4 in fall, 19-4 in spring)
• Doubles: 19-11 (4-3 in fall, 15-8 in spring)
Fall
Career-high #38 ITA ranking … Went 4-2 while advancing to the Round of 32 at the ITA DI Ohio Valley Regional Championship in Knoxville in both singles and doubles … 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 win over TCU’s Luc Fomba at the ITA All-American Championships at Tulsa.
Spring
Started the Spring slate at #82 in the nation … Went 15-1 to open the season, split time with teammate Slump on the top flight … Went 2-0 at the 74th Annual Blue Gray National Championship … Four wins over power-5 opponents … 2x Conference USA Athlete of the Week Awards … Team leading 4.0 GPA while studying Business Administration … Picked up one win at the 2022 Conference USA Championship in the finals against Thomas Brown/Mikhail Sokolovsky of Charlotte in doubles ... Named First Team All-C-USA in Singles and Doubles ... Went 2-0 at the NCAA Team Championship Round of 32 against #20 NC State, earning both individual wins in the dual match against the Wolfpack ... Qualified for the 2022 NCAA Doubles Championship with Freshman Oskar Brostrom Poulsen, dropped the opening round match to No. 28 Overback/Kikuchi of California in three sets.
2020-21 (Junior)
• Singles: 23-8 (10-2 in fall, 13-6 in spring)
• Doubles: 18-16 (7-5 in fall, 11-11 in spring)
Fall
Posted the most wins on the team in the fall (17) … Defeated the No. 46-ranked Daniel Rodrigues (6-2, 6-3) (ended the year ranked #2) of South Carolina and No. 89-ranked Florian Broska (6-1, 2-6,7-5) of Mississippi State … Went undefeated at the Buck Bouldin Battle of the Boro (6-0) and Southern Miss Invite (5-0) in singles and doubles … Partnered with five different Raiders, most matches with Max Rauch (2-2) … Rauch and Rocha defeated the No. 80-ranked doubles from South Carolina (6-1, Thomas Brown and Beau Pelletier).
Spring
Three-time Conference USA Player of the Week … Started the spring playing at No. 3, going 5-1, before jumping to No. 2 where he went 3-1, before playing at No. 1 for the remainder of the season, where he went 5-4 … Highest-ranked Conference USA Singles player (#55), earning him a berth in the NCAA Singles Championships … Was ranked as high as #35 in the ITA singles rankings … Defeated #45 Chase Ferguson of South Florida to help the Raiders defeat the 29th-ranked Bulls … Picked up notable wins over Iowa, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt (2x), DePaul, and Georgia State … Notched a 6-2, 6-1 win over UAB in the Conference USA quarterfinals … Became first Blue Raider sine 2010 to qualify for the NCAA Singles Championships.
2019-20 (Sophomore)
• Singles: 11-8 (4-6 in fall, 7-2 in spring)
• Doubles: 7-5 (5-2 in fall, 2-3 in spring)
Fall
Knocked off the No. 15-seeded doubles pair with partner Max Rauch at the ITA Ohio Valley Regional … Reached the B Singles Consolation Final at the Louisville Invitational falling to Filho (Louisville) 6-4, 4-6, 10-7.
Spring
The spring season was cut short due to the health concerns of the COVID-19 on March 12 … LaLance Invite (Singles: 2-0, Doubles: 1-2) … Rocha finished the season with a 7-2 dual singles record and broke his career-high in singles wins with 13 … Posted season-best three match win streak in singles (Jan. 17 to Jan. 26) … Was 3-2 in dual match doubles, all with partner Max Rauch at the No. 3 spot.
2018-19 (Freshman)
• Singles: 8-9 (3-7 in fall, 5-2 in spring)
• Doubles: 19-14 (6-2 in fall, 13-12 in spring)
Fall
Finished 3-1 in doubles play at the Penn Invitational … Won two singles and three doubles matches at the Short/LaLance Shootout … Knocked off the No. 15-seeded doubles pair with partner Max Rauch in the ITA Ohio Valley Regional
Spring
Earned a spot in Blue Raider program history by finishing with 19 doubles wins (tied 12th-best among freshmen all-time)… Won five straight dual singles matches to finish the spring season … Was 13-12 in dual doubles matches, including a 5-2 record at No. 3 spot … Posted a season-best streak of seven doubles wins to start the spring season.
Prior to Middle Tennessee
Regional singles champion in the U-18 division … Won multiple tournaments in Portugal in doubles … Advanced to the quarterfinals of a U-18 tournament.
Facility tour – Stephen and Denise Smith Student-Athlete Performance Center
Wednesday, July 30
Men's Tennis NCAA Selection Show Watch Party on 04/28/25
Tuesday, April 29
MTSU Men's Tennis CUSA Championship vs Liberty Recap on 04/20/25
Wednesday, April 23
MTSU Men's Tennis vs Wichita State Recap on 04/13/25
Saturday, April 19
