Goffi Inks Top-30 Junior for 2024-25
Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina men’s tennis head coach Josh Goffi has announced the signing of Atakan Karahan of Gebze, Turkey, to the team for the 2024-25 season.
“I have to give credit to (Associate Head Coach) Johnny Parkes on this amazing addition to our team,” said Goffi. “From start to finish, he quarterbacked Atakan’s recruitment and consequently we’ve rounded out an amazing 2024 class for the Gamecocks! Atakan is a great player but I was really sold on his character and personality. After spending a few months getting to know him, it was obvious that he’s a humble guy who has a strong desire to be good and that’s the kind of student-athlete that we want as part of our team.”
Karahan will join the team in the fall of 2024 following his graduation from IMG Academy. He joins the team with a UTR of 12.85 and has a career high ITF Jr. ranking of No. 30 in the world that he achieved at the end of January 2024. He also has a career high ATP singles ranking of No. 1563, achieved in June of 2023.
Karahan holds a singles title from the 2022 J3 Cancun and holds three doubles titles – the 2021 J4 Sofia, the 2022 J1 Durban, and the 2023 J300 Santa Croce Sull-Arno. He was also a doubles runner-up at both 2023 Eddie Herr and the 2023 Orange Bowl.
In addition to his junior titles, Karahan has junior grand slam experience, having played his first at the 2023 Australian Open where he advanced to the singles round of 32 and the doubles round of 16. Also in 2023, he made the doubles round of 32 at Roland Garros as well as the US Open singles round of 64 and doubles round of 16.
Already in 2024 he has competed at the boys Australian Open, advancing to the singles round of 16 and the doubles round of 32.
Karahan in joined in South Carolina’s 2024 signing class by Max Stenzer of Monchengladbach, Germany, and Gabe Avram of Charlotte, N.C.
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