When Alvin Tudorica joined the USF's men's tennis program for the 2020-21 season, he was almost an afterthought. He rarely cracked into the regular rotation. He had skill and potential, but his name was rarely mentioned.

As it turned out, Tudorica also possessed another valuable quality.

Patience.

Tudorica, a left-hander from Toronto, has emerged as one of the nation's top players after a breakthrough fall. He's No. 27 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's singles rankings, while also occupying the No. 9 spot in doubles (along with partner Erik Grevelius).

The Bulls, who missed last season's NCAA Tournament, have the look of a top-30 team that can do some postseason damage, according to Coach Ashley Fisher. Tudorica will be counted on in the season's biggest matches as he tangles with the top players.

USF begins its season at home on Sunday afternoon against Division II Florida Southern College (coached by former USF assistant Rhett Rollyson) before heading to Tennessee on Jan. 27.

"Mentality and belief are so important in tennis and every sport, really,'' Fisher said. "Alvin is extremely skilled and he has worked himself to this place where he can compete with anyone. I believe he knows now that when he walks on the court, he's always capable of that victory. I still don't think he realizes how good he actually is.

"Maybe he wasn't that guy when we recruited him. But I saw a lot of great qualities and I believed he was capable of getting to a place like this. The really encouraging thing is the way he has gone about it with his work ethic and determination.''

Tudorica said he never stopped believing in his ability.

"I knew if I worked hard, it would eventually come,'' Tudorica said. "And if it wouldn't have come in college, it would have come in the pros. Luckily, it turned around for me in the second half of my college career.

"You hear it all the time in all the sports, but you do have to trust the process. I felt like if you put in the work and live with no regrets, you're going to be where you need to be. And that's what has happened with me.''

When Tudorica was used sparingly as a freshman, he didn't pout. The year was a learning experience. He paid attention. He experimented with his game. He didn't stop working.

Tudorica's backhand and court movement were always his strong points. But the forehand was not a weapon. Tudorica could have masked that weakness. Instead, he transformed it into a strength.

"The repetition, the dedication, the commitment were just tremendous,'' Fisher said. "He did all these drills, the kind you would do if you were just learning how to play tennis, but he worked them to perfection. The bottom line is he can win with his forehand and he still has that tremendous backhand.''

"My backhand has always been a natural and it comes easy for me,'' Tudorica said. "For most people, it's that way with the forehand. So I feel like I've had to do double or triple the work, just to get my forehand to the level where it can do some damage. But there's no question that it paid off. I'm a much better player.''

Tudorica has a 36-20 career singles record and registered a 14-match winning streak as a sophomore. But things hit another gear in the fall. He was runner-up at this fall's ITA Regionals, running off five straight match victories, including two against ranked opponents.

That earned him a spot in the National Fall Championships, where he reached the quarterfinals. The run included a 1-6, 7-6, 6-4 comeback victory against No. 22-ranked Peter Makk of USC.

Additionally, Tudorica and Grevelius advanced to the doubles semifinals at the ITA Regionals, then got to to the consolation bracket semifinals at the National Fall Championships.

"That was a very good leap,'' Tudorica said. "Obviously, it gave me a big boost of confidence. Playing with Erik was great because he's an unbelievably talented doubles partner. We're very close and we always have each other's back. The whole thing was very positive and gives me an upbeat feeling about what's ahead.''

Tudorica won't be a secret. If anything, he's not a target for all of USF's opponents.

"My mentality is now, 'Why not me?' '' Tudorica said. "I believe I should be out there. I believe I should be winning these matches. In the past, there were definitely times when I stepped on the court and felt a little scared when I was facing someone who was ranked higher.

"I had to fix that attitude because it's hard to win matches when you don't completely believe in yourself. Now I'm a believer in my ability always. That definitely helps. I'd like to set a good tone for the entire team. I believe we're capable of doing big things if we can play to our potential.''

If that happens, Fisher expects big things from the Bulls.

"I'm always optimistic,'' Fisher said. "We pick guys we believe in, then invest in their skills. I think we now have the depth to withstand some adversity

"We've got seven or eight guys who can step up. I feel we're going to be one of the teams contending for our conference championship. If things go well, we're going to be one of the best teams in our league and a top contender in the country.''