Men’s Tennis Welcomes Four Newcomers Ahead of 2026-27 Season
6/22/2026
Men’s tennis head coach Mike Fried ‘91 has announced four newcomers ahead of the 2026-27 season. The newcomers include three freshmen in Justin Lin, Tej Bhagra, and Guatam Venkatraman and one transfer in Lucas Kimelman.
Justin Lin
Sammamish, Washington | Skyline High School
Before Brown: WIAA State Singles Champion, KingCo Singles Champion, KingCo Player of the Year.
Why Brown: “I choose Brown University because of its tight-knit community, open curriculum, and the motivated and hungry team and coaching staff.”
Tej Bhagra
Rochester, Minnesota | Mayo High School
Before Brown: USTA National Junior Scholar Athlete of the Year (2025), PTT Winner in Newport Beach (2026), Minnesota AA Individual Singles State Champion with a perfect 26-0 record (2024), AA Individuals State Runner-Up (2022), 1 AA Individual Singles Section Champion (2023, 2024), Big 9 All-Conference Player (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024).
Why Brown: “I chose Brown because of how close-knit the community felt from the moment I visited. The team chemistry really stood out to me, and I liked seeing how the players balanced tennis, academics, and a social life. I also loved how the campus connects with Thayer Street, which made everything feel lively and welcoming. Brown felt like a place where I could grow academically, compete at a high level, enjoy college, and give myself the opportunity to potentially pursue tennis professionally.”
Guatam Venkatraman
Singapore | Laurel Springs
Before Brown: J100 Pune 2025 Champion in Singles, J30 Istanbul 2025 Runner Up in Singles, and a J30 Istanbul Champion in Doubles.
Why Brown: “Brown has always been my top choice as the open curriculum really stood out to me as well as being able to showcase my athletic talents.”
Lucas Kimelman
Toronto, Canada | Thornhill Secondary School | Portland
Before Brown: A transfer from Portland, Lucas is Canadian National Champion in Doubles and has consistently been ranked in the top 20 nationally.
Why Brown: “I chose Brown for its world-renowned education, combined with a high-level tennis program and coaching staff, in addition to strong team culture.”
