Yale Athletics

Since his first year, Eric Li ‘26 has had a meaningful impact on the Yale men’s tennis team as a positive force on and off the court.

Three time ITA Scholar Athlete and a recipient of the George A. Phelps Memorial Award for the most improved player on the tennis team, Li has all the accolades that make for a successful team captain.

“He has the ability to understand others,” Jim Ji ‘27 told the News. “He listens and is open to hearing your perspective and voicing your concerns to the higher ups. He is a mentor figure beyond just tennis.”

Li’s connection with the team was a reason why he was elected to the captainship, his teammates said. On and off the court, he is a supportive figure, who is invested in the strength and wellbeing of Yale tennis’s athletes, his teammates said. 

“He definitely cares a lot about everyone on the team,” Jason Schuler ‘28 said to the News, “Personally I feel really comfortable talking to him about any issues I may have.” 

Before coming to Yale, Li helped his high school win a state championship in 2019, and he captained the team three years in a row. In 2022, he was chosen as the New Jersey player of the year. He also traveled across the country playing USTA tournaments from the age of 9, at one point ranking as high as No. 7 in the country.

In Li’s first year at Yale, he earned a 7-5 record in singles and picked up seven victories in 13 doubles matches. In the past two seasons, Li has posted winning records in both doubles and singles, with a Yale career best of 21-9 in singles in 2023-24 and 10-8 in doubles in 2024-25.

“Eric is one of the hardest workers and most determined players I have worked with in the past,” interim head coach Eduardo Ugalde said to the News. “He always does what is required from him and keeps himself accountable to the highest standards on the court. He leads by example and he backs-up his word with work and dedication.”

Every practice, Li brings energy and commitment to the sessions, pushing his teammates and himself in each game, set, and match, his teammates said. 

“They are a really good group of guys,” Li told the News, “And I enjoy our routine outside of tennis. I look forward to the process of it all—taking the shuttle to practice together, getting dinner as a team, playing games at hotels before tournaments, and hanging out at the airport. Our routine is really unique and leading and being a part of this team is very special.”

The first tournament of the Yale men’s tennis team is Sept. 19 at the Chowderfest Invitational in Cambridge, Mass.