Thando Longwe-Smit

2022-23 (Jr.)

Totaled a 15-5 singles mark and a 12-6 doubles record
During fall season, had a 10-2 singles and a 5-4 doubles record
Began fall singles with seven straight victories including going unbeaten (4-0) and winning the Gold singles title at the Elon Invitational (Sept. 23-25)
Put together a spring season with a 5-3 (3-0 ASUN) singles and a 7-2 (1-0 ASUN) doubles mark
Finished spring with a five-match win streak
Topped No. 60 Denver’s Raffelo Papajcik 6-2, 6-4 at the Universal Tennis NIT Championship (May 19)
Played between three singles positions, going 2-0 from No. 5 and 3-3 from No. 6
Went 2-0 in doubles at the Universal Tennis NIT Championship with partner Zion Heaven, including a win over No. 60 Denver’s Charlie Miller and Rejia Eskic, 6-1 (May 19)
Played doubles matches from two positions, going 1-0 from No. 2 and 6-2 from No. 3

2021-22 (R-So.)

Totaled 17 singles win on the season, 10 in the spring and seven in the fall
Clinched Liberty’s second straight ASUN title, defeating No. 71 FGCU’s Juan Lopez 1-6, 7-6 (1), 6-2 on court six in the ASUN title match to give the Flames the 4-2 win
Posted 10-8 spring singles record and went 5-3 in the No. 6 slot in the lineup
Won four singles matches on court five and one on court four as well
Closed year on a four-match winning streak
Claimed six straight singles matches from Nov. 6-Jan. 26
Finished season with 11 total doubles wins, seven in the fall and four in the spring
Won doubles matches with three different partners, including: Omar El Kadi (7), Zion Heaven (3) and Rafael Marques Da Silva (1)
Posted 4-4 dual match record with El Kadi as his partner (3-3 No. 2, 1-1 No. 3)
Went 3-0 in doubles with Heaven as his partner at the Liberty Spring Hidden Dual, Jan. 14-15 at the Liberty Indoor Tennis Center

Spring 2021 (R-Fr.)

Posted 13-4 singles record during spring season after joining the lineup on March 4, including a perfect 6-0 ASUN singles mark
Held 4-1 mark at No. 4 singles, 6-1 record at No. 6 singles and 3-2 mark at No. 5 singles
Won seven of his final eight singles matches and posted a 3-0 singles mark in the ASUN Men’s Tennis Championship
Defeated FGCU’s Alessandro Conca in two sets (6-4, 6-4) in the ASUN title match at No. 6singles, giving Liberty a 3-0 lead in an eventual 4-0 win
Bested Kennesaw State’s Gaston Muhammad 6-2, 6-2 at No. 6 singles in the ASUN Championship semifinals, helping the Flames to a 4-1 win over the Owls
Won two doubles matches on the year, one with Nicaise Muamba and one with Goncalo Ferreira
Teamed up with Muamba for a 6-3 win over Elon’s Sam Dively and Camilo Ponce in the No. 3 slot, Jan. 18 at home
*Note: Liberty did not compete in a fall 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2019-20 (Fr.)

Joined the team at the start of spring semester
Garnered inclusion on ASUN Academic Honor Roll
Utilized Redshirt season
*Note: Remainder of the season was cancelled on March 13, 2020 due to health concerns related to the COVID-19 virus

Prep

Graduate of Rondebosch Boys’ High School
No. 1-ranked U18 player in the South Africa Tennis Federation rankings
Represented his country at the U21 Africa Youth Games and won the doubles event
Captured the ITF G5 singles title in Potchefstroom, South Africa, defeating Robbie Arends 6-4, 6-3 in the final
Won the ITF G3 doubles crown in Pretoria with partner Alec Beckley
Finished runner-up in the ITF G3 in Pretoria and in the ITF G5 in Potchefstroom

Personal