From Kalihi to Flushing Meadows: Andre Ilagan’s Journey Reaches the U.S. Open

Andre Ilagan grew up spending four or five hours a day on the tennis courts at Kalaukaua District Park.

Next week, he’ll step onto a much bigger stage.

The Farrington High School graduate and former University of Hawai‘i standout earned one of nine wild-card entries into the qualifying tournament for the 2026 U.S. Open, becoming the first Rainbow Warrior men’s tennis player to compete at the major tournament.

It’s a historic accomplishment for the UH program. For Ilagan, it’s also the latest step in a journey that began in Kalihi with some cheap tennis rackets and a challenge from his family to find a way to pay for college.

“Coming out of Kalihi in general is cool,” Ilagan said during a media availability Wednesday. “I love it. It just builds character for me. I take pride in it every time.”

An Unlikely Start

Tennis wasn’t necessarily supposed to be Ilagan’s sport.

He grew up in a basketball family and remembers his brother suffering a sprained ankle before seeing tennis on television and deciding the family should give it a try.

They found some inexpensive rackets — Ilagan remembers it being either Goodwill or a swap meet — and headed to the court.

Eventually, what started almost by accident became an opportunity.

“Dre, you’re not gonna be that tall,” Ilagan recalled his family telling him. “We’re not gonna pay for your school. So find a way to get a full scholarship somewhere at school and dig in.”

Ilagan did exactly that.

Growing up in Kalihi, he became known as the kid who seemingly lived on the tennis court, playing seven days a week and spending hours each day at Kalaukaua District Park.

There were early mornings and plenty of sacrifices along the way. Ilagan remembers Saturday practices at 7 a.m. when he’d rather stay home, only for his father to challenge him on how badly he really wanted it.

That discipline eventually took him from Farrington to the University of Hawai‘i.

‘It Changed Who I Am’

At UH, Ilagan became one of the most accomplished players in program history, earning ITA All-America honors in 2023 after advancing to the NCAA Singles Championship Round of 16.

But when asked what his college experience did for him, Ilagan didn’t start with tennis.

“It changed who I am, for sure,” he said.

He openly admits he didn’t arrive at UH with everything figured out. During his first semester, Ilagan said he did enough academically to get by before teammates challenged him to take the same approach to life that he said he wanted to take with tennis.

Ilagan had told them he wanted to become a professional player.

Their response was essentially: then start acting like one.

“I had a reality check — accountability,” Ilagan said.

He credits his teammates and coaches with creating an environment where the emphasis wasn’t simply on winning the next match, but becoming better on and off the court.

“It’s always, ‘All right, do the right thing, and if you win, cool. If you lose, hey, keep doing it again,’” Ilagan said. “Just sticking to it, and that’s pretty much who I am today.”

That foundation became especially important once his college career ended.

Finding His Way as a Pro

Ilagan admits his first few years of professional tennis weren’t easy.

“I’ll be quite honest, my first few years were a bit rough, especially my first year,” he said.

The transition was more than simply facing better competition. At UH, Ilagan played for teammates and coaches. On the professional tour, he suddenly had to figure out what he was playing for when everything became about himself.

It took time.

Now, Ilagan says part of his motivation comes from the people back home and showing what may be possible for someone who didn’t necessarily grow up with every advantage.

“For someone that didn’t have much growing up, and just being — not saying you can make it — but have the option to be a professional tennis player,” he said.

His results have started to reflect that growth.

Back-to-back appearances in ATP Challenger finals helped Ilagan earn his U.S. Open qualifying wild card and put him on the doorstep of the Top 200 in the world.

To advance into the U.S. Open main draw, he’ll need to win three qualifying matches.

And while reaching one of tennis’ biggest stages carries obvious significance, Ilagan was also refreshingly candid about another benefit: the paycheck.

Professional tennis doesn’t come with a guaranteed salary. Ilagan explained that players largely have to support themselves or find people willing to invest in their careers.

“Obviously playing the U.S. Open for the first time, it’s good for the bank account, that’s for sure,” he said. “It helps me continue my career.”

For Ilagan, that’s what the money represents — the ability to keep playing.

But there’s also something much harder to quantify about this opportunity.

The players Ilagan once watched on television — or sometimes on his laptop while sitting in class at UH — are now the players standing across the net from him.

“I’ve reached a level to the point where I was watching these guys on TV, now I’m playing against them,” Ilagan said. “And then I can beat them now.”

Through it all, he’s learned to stop worrying about how everyone else approaches the game.

“Just going out there, just doing it my way, my style, don’t care what anyone thinks,” Ilagan said. “You can lose yourself because it’s like, ‘Oh, but this guy did that, but this guy…’ Like, who cares at the end of the day? We’re all human beings.”

“Just compete.”

It’s a philosophy that has taken Ilagan a long way from those public courts in Honolulu.

From Kalihi to Farrington. From Farrington to UH. From UH to the professional tour.

And now, to the U.S. Open.