Roni Rikkonen Season 2020-21

HONORS
2021 & 2022 Mountain West All-Academic Team

2021-22 Season (As a Sophomore)
Doubles – Competed in 16 matches… Played seven times with Johannes Seeman in dual matches, beating Sauer/Atherton of UNLV (April 8, 7-6 (2)) and Mascagni/Kersten of Air Force (April 29, 7-6 (5))… Competed five times with Judson Blair, winning their match in the SDSU Fall Invitational against Loyola Marymount’s Bhullar/Alonso (Oct. 15, 8-7 (3))… Played twice with Jules Auffray, beating Grand Canyon’s Argote/Novak (Oct. 22, 8-5) in the ITA Southwest Regional Championships… Teamed up with Sahm Irvine of UC San Diego in the SDSU Fall Invitational to beat Hambrook/Navarro of UNLV (Oct. 16, 8-6)… Played once with Alex Scemanenco.

Singles – Competed in 16 matches… Won his first two matches in the San Diego Veterans
Tennis Classic against Navy’s Jack Dabek (Nov. 5, 6-2, 6-4) and UC San Diego’s Eric Silberman
(Nov. 6, 6-1, 6-2)… Picked up back-to-back dual wins against Hendrik Inno of Cal Poly (Feb. 13,
1-6, 6-3, 6-4) and Owen Kelley of Pomona-Pitzer (Feb. 26, 6-1, 6-2).

2020-21 SEASON (As a Freshman)
Earned a spot on the Mountain West all-academic team.
     Doubles — Competed in seven dual matches at the No. 3  position during his rookie campaign with three different playing partners … Joined forces with Rafael Gonzalez Almazan for his final four starts, notching his first collegiate doubles victory after the Aztec duo defeated the Air Force tandem of Justin Waldman and Sean McKendree in a 7-6(6) thriller on the road (4-9-21) … Combined with fellow classmate Judson Blair for the first two matches of the season vs. Cal Poly (2-4-21) and at No. 1 USC (2-7-21) … Also teamed with Aaro Pollanen for SDSU’s Mountain West opener at Boise State (3-13-21).
     Singles — Cracked the starting lineup in 15 matches, posting three victories along with three unfinished decisions … Alternated between the fourth, fifth and sixth positions on the Aztecs’ ladder … Contributed to SDSU’s doubleheader sweep of UC San Diego with his first two wins in a Scarlet and Black uniform—both in the No. 6 spot—racing past the Tritons’ Eric Silberman in the opener the 6-0, 6-4, before upending Fraser Leslie in the nightcap, 6-1, 6-2 (2-26-21) … Also emerged triumphant in the fifth slot with a straight-set victory over Washington’s Jack Pulliam, 6-1, 7-6(5) (3-26-21).

PRIOR TO COLLEGE
Starred on the international stage and in his native Finland, capturing 14 junior national championship gold medals across all age groups (12-21) in both doubles and singles and has held a No. 9 national ranking that country since 2018 … Was a member of the Finnish national team that competed in the European and Nordic Championships, as well as the European Youth Summer Olympic Festival … Enjoyed a successful year on the ITF junior tour in 2018, winning doubles titles at the Stavanger (Norway) ITF, the Prince Cup in Liepaja, Latvia, and the Tartu (Estonia) ITF Junior to go with finals appearances in two other events … Has also advanced to the semifinal round in singles play on several occasions since 2015 … Additionally witnessed success on the Tennis Europe junior circuit, winning the Boys 16 singles championship at the 2016 Pajulahti Cup in Nastola, Finland …  Was a finalist in the Boys 16 age group at the 2015 Wilson Junior Tournament, also held in Nastola, and advanced to the Boys 14 championship match at the 15th Babolat Cup in Tallinn, Estonia, in 2014 … Chose the Aztecs over several schools, including including Mountain West rivals Boise State and Fresno State, as well as Iowa, UC Santa Barbara, Loyola Marymount, Denver and Coastal Carolina, among others … Played competitive soccer until the age of 14 … Received a basic education degree in piano music from Tampere Conservatoire … Prepped at Sammon Keskuslukio Sports High School.
 
PERSONAL
Roni Rikkonen was born and raised in Tampere, Finland … Son of Toni Rikkonen and Pia Banerjee-Rikkonen … His sister, Isa, competes in equestrian and show jumping events … Lists Roger Federer as his favorite athlete … Aspires to become a professional tennis player … Enjoys playing the piano in his spare time … Plans to major in business at San Diego State.