Victor Tosetto: A Path to Redemption
4/29/2026 10:13:00 AM | Men's Tennis
TULSA, Okla.– Two years ago, Victor Tosetto's collegiate tennis career took an unexpected turn. A knee injury had forced him to retire from a key singles match against Rice in the quarterfinals of the 2024 American Conference Championship.
"I was winning the match and then that happened. I had to stop the match," said Tosetto. "I knew it was bad. And then we lost that match as a team. It was the worst day. Everything went wrong for us."
But this year, everything went exactly right for Tulsa and Tosetto in the American Conference Championship, as the Golden Hurricane won their first American title and first conference title in 12 years.
Rewinding back, Tosetto's journey to return to the court spanned more than 18 months. He went home to Porto Alegre, Brazil, for surgery and began his recovery surrounded by family and trusted doctors, then came back to Tulsa in the fall to continue rehab.
"When I came back, everybody supported me. The coaches gave me time—they didn't rush me to come back, the trainers as well. My teammates were always helping me and supporting me, saying that I was going to come back and that they wanted to see me back on court."
Olivia Witzansky, the men's tennis athletic trainer, spoke positively about Tosetto's recovery and mindset, saying "Despite the physical and emotional challenges that come with a long-term injury, Victor approached his rehab with remarkable determination and maturity. Even during the most difficult stages, he maintained a positive attitude and a clear focus on his long-term goal of returning to the sport he loves."
That attitude is still apparent in talking to Tosetto today, as he emphasizes that his sole focus during rehab was getting back to a high level of tennis. After missing the 2024–25 season, he reentered the lineup in 2026 and made an immediate impact. Playing at the No. 3 doubles position and No. 6 in singles, he frequently delivered the first points for Tulsa, applying early scoreboard pressure on opponents.
"Victor is one of those guys that you just always want to be around. It seems like he never has a bad day and his energy is infectious. He's always cracking jokes and sharing a laugh, but when it's time to compete, he's able to flip a switch like I've never seen before," said Gus Tettamble, Tosetto's doubles partner. "Before every match, Victor would look me in the eyes and tell me 'We are winning this match.' Doubles has so much to do with chemistry, so knowing that your partner has total belief in you is a great feeling and helps ease your nerves. Victor is one heck of a player, but he's a teammate that every player wants to have."
Tulsa endured its share of setbacks throughout the season, with less-than-ideal losses keeping the team from being ranked higher than 72 in the ITA rankings. As a result, the Golden Hurricane entered the conference tournament without a top-four seed, and without a first-round bye, for the first time in program history. TU opened with a win over No. 11 seed UTSA, then delivered back-to-back upsets of No. 3 Memphis and No. 2 Charlotte to earn a spot in the finals against the No. 1 team in the conference, Rice.
"Looking back to the draw, it's crazy what we did," Tosetto said. "If you saw the brackets before, no one was putting us as a championship team. Inside our team, we were so locked in, and we knew we could win."
Tosetto played a key role in that run, going 4-0 in doubles and 3-1 in singles across the weekend.
"The last day, in finals, I knew we were going to win. We lost to Rice two weeks before conference and I played the same guy. I think we all played the same players across the lineup, so we knew what we needed to do differently."
The setting made the moment even more meaningful. Nearly two years to the day after his injury, Tosetto found himself back on the same court where it happened, one he hadn't competed on since.
"In conference, we play on the back courts that we don't use during the regular season," he said. "When I was playing on that court and I hit a shot on the same corner, (the injury) was going through my mind but I didn't let it affect me."
Tettamble saw that moment as a defining example of Tosetto's resilience.
"Victor had no choice but to play on the very court he was injured on, but he cruised through the tournament and was one of the most reliable players we had. To me, that summarizes Victor – he will always put his head down and get to work regardless of the circumstances."
Tosetto's steady presence was evident, as he won the first singles point against Rice in straight sets 6-1, 6-2, shortly after helping TU secure the doubles point. With his victories providing the spark for the Golden Hurricane, Tulsa captured the program's first American Conference Championship title, doing so in front of a home crowd at Michael D. Case Tennis Center to secure an NCAA Tournament berth.
True to form, Tosetto turned the spotlight back on his teammates.
"I wanted to thank my teammates for the amazing season. We have all been great this season, and I am happy to have these teammates win the championship with me. It's a very special team and we deserve it. Let's keep going."
Tosetto and Tulsa will continue their season in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday, facing regional host and 10 seed Baylor at 6 p.m. at Hurd Tennis Center in Waco, Texas.
Players Mentioned
