NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Eduardo Ugalde, Interim Head Coach of Men's Tennis, is thrilled to welcome three newcomers to Yale this fall. Ethan Chung, Troy Kudrjavtsev, and Varun Verma all bring strong credentials both on and off the court.
"I am very excited to welcome Ethan, Troy and Varun to our program," said Ugalde. Throughout the recruiting process they have stood out as great competitors and fully committed players. These characteristics will add a lot of value to our team culture. Off the court, they are amazing students and the most upstanding people. They will thrive at Yale and be a great addition to the community."
Ethan Chung
San Jose, Calif.
Cupertino High School
Before Yale: Played three seasons at Cupertino High School…Highest USTA National Ranking: 7 (16&U) (2024)…Highest Ranking in Class of 2025 (tennisrecruiting.net): 33…National Level 1 Clay Court Championships: Bronze Ball (3rd place) in 16&U Doubles (2023)…National Level 3 Championships: 1st place in 18&U Singles & Doubles (2024)…Cupertino High School: CCS Individual Doubles Champion (2023)…USTA National Bill Talbert Sportsmanship Award Nominee (2024)…CCS Team Champion and CIF State Team Finalist (2023).
Personal: Son of Eunjung Lee and Wonsuk Chung…Founded a guitar club in high school…Performed at school rallies and community events as a guitarist in a band.
Why Yale? "Yale's renowned liberal arts education, historic campus, and strong community have always fascinated me, but ultimately, I chose Yale because of the supportive coaches and close-knit team environment. I'm really excited to develop both as an athlete and a person over the next four years at my dream school."
Ugalde on Chung: "We're thrilled to have Ethan join our program next semester. He is a very smart individual, and a fierce competitor. His passion and energy radiate from his court, and I am sure he's going to thrive in our college tennis environment."
Troy Kudrjavtsev
Westport, Conn.
Staples High School
Before Yale: AP Scholar Award Recipient…First Honors Student 2021-25…Reached top rank of No. 28 in US class of 2025 rankings…Was No. 33 in USTA Boys 18U national standings list.
Personal: Son of Dmitri and Julia Kudrjavtsev…Father was ranked No. 1 in Estonia for men's tennis…Is Russian and is bilingual.
Why Yale? "I loved the coaches and team, the motivation and friendliness of the community was amazing, the campus is beautiful, it's close to home, and has a great Econ program."
Ugalde on Kudrjavtsev: "Troy is one of the hardest working players I have worked with. His commitment to his game is unmatched and I am eager to see him join our program and bring that passion to our team."
Varun Verma
Chennai, India
King's InterHigh
Before Yale: Competed in the International Tennis Federation (ITF), Junior Circuit…J60 Aktobe (Kazakhstan) - Winner (Singles)…J60 Agrinio (Greece) - Winner (Singles).
Personal: Son of Brajendra Navnit and Aparna Sinha (Mother)…Can understand five languages!
Why Yale? Yale has the resources of a large research university, while its academic approach nurtures the intimacy of a liberal arts education. I could unravel global economic inequalities through data-driven research at Yale's EGC, dive into smaller group discussions about cinema or engage in interdisciplinary courses connecting economics, society and AI. Yale will not limit my opportunities to an "either-or" – it will allow me to explore the "and" in everything I do."
Ugalde on Verma: "Varun is a very smart and crafty player that can bring trouble to any player. He has a wealth of experience playing at an international level and I can't wait to have him on our team."
