Against All Odds : The Story of Sargsian

Without a racket, without a ball—and most of all, without infrastructure.

In the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union, everything seemed to be slipping through the fingers of young Sargis Sargsian.

From nightmare to fairy tale, here is the improbable journey of the man who remains, to this day, the greatest tennis player in Armenia’s history.

Sargsian’s story begins with an ingenious strategy devised by the Armenian Tennis Federation.

Well aware of their limited resources in a politically unstable context, the federation’s leaders decided to forge partnerships with American universities—seen as ideal incubators for nurturing young talent.

Countless administrative hurdles later, hope returned for the young Sargis : he had found a host family in Arizona.

We are in 1995. And Arizona State University stands at the forefront of American collegiate tennis.Its brightest star? A young Armenian player named Sargis Sargsian.

NCAA singles champion, he is now on the verge of making his professional debut—and perhaps, becoming the first male player from Armenia to break into the world’s top 100.

Though he may never be remembered in the same breath as Agassi, Sampras, or other titans of the sport, Sargsian quietly achieved the unthinkable : he won an ATP title.

At his peak, he reached a career-high ranking of World No. 38, and can even boast a victory over a certain Roger Federer—a fitting triumph for someone who came from so far, against such odds...