As one of the premier athletic institutions in the nation, Clemson’s recruitment process across programs is generally recognized as extensive, thorough and even global. While some programs reach across oceans and continents to build their roster, the men’s tennis program struck a gold mine less than an hour away in Greer, SC, with the Pitts family. This year, freshman Nathan Pitts joined the team, where he was met by a familiar face—his brother Matt.
The Pitts family tennis tradition began in the 90s with the father, Eric Pitts. Decades later, Eric’s eldest son, Timothy Pitts, continued the tennis tradition before graduating from Clemson in 2023. Since then, the torch has been held by Matt, who is now looking to wrap up his Tiger tenure with a strong senior season.
“It’s been super special to get to play. I’ve grown up a Clemson fan, so it was always pretty cool. Playing a sport at Clemson was kind of the dream,” Matt said in an interview with The Tiger.
With a few years of experience under his belt, Matt has had the privilege of meeting and playing with new players every year, many of whom are from out of the country. In his time at Clemson, Matt has also watched the team blossom and grow into what it is today.
“We are starting to beat teams that we hadn’t beaten in the time I was here. It’s fun to watch. We’d lose pretty badly freshman and sophomore year and then beat them these past years,” Matt said.
This year, of the 11 players on the tennis squad, seven are either a freshman or sophomore—something Matt has taken notice of.
“Some of the younger guys are beasts. The way they go about everything—it’s pretty cool. It’s always fun to watch them figure stuff out,” he said.
As a player that others look up to, Matt has found ways to lead and help some of the younger players, including his brother Nathan.
“Being mentally or physically sound off court and having things under wrap is important. If that’s where I can help, that’s important to me,” Matt said.
Like any brothers, Nathan and Matt have a relationship characterized by competition and tough love. Matt and Nathan recalled some very tense matches over the years, one of which ended with tears after meeting in a U10 tournament. However, Matt believes he holds the overall head-to-head title.
“Growing up, we always competed hard against each other, and we never wanted the other person to win. Sometimes, we got into some fights on the court, but it was really good. You learn a lot from them,” Nathan said of playing with his brothers.
When he was 8 years old, a coach gave Nathan the nickname “Natedog”—a name that has stuck all the way into his college years. He has developed a unique style from his years of playing: although his favorite professional player is Novak Djokovic, he models his game off of Rinky Hijikata, a quick and gritty Australian player who played college tennis at North Carolina.
“He’s so good. He’s kind of small like me and I think he has a great, explosive game, so I try to model my game off of him,” Natedog said.
Beyond their battles on the singles court, Matt and Nate also dabble in doubles, where their undeniable chemistry and communication make them a potent duo.
Looking ahead, the brothers will be in action for consecutive tournaments: the Wake Forest Tournament from Nov. 1 – 3, immediately followed by the Austin $25k Futures from Nov. 4 – 10. After that, the fall season of tennis wraps up quickly with ITA Sectionals set to overlap the latter tournament from Nov. 7 – 10, and the NCAA individual championships in Waco, Texas from Nov. 19 – 24,
This spring, Nathan wants to improve his game and get as many reps as possible. As for Matt, he set some goals, too: “And then winning the ACC Championship. We got a good team this year, so I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility.”
Head coach Brandon Wagner can only thank the recruiters who dug up this gem of a family from Greer. With Matt and Nathan, Wagner’s team is in great hands, and so is the Pitts family dynasty.
