Andre Ilagan expects to feel a lot of emotions on the tennis court next week in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.

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Andre Ilagan expects to feel a lot of emotions on the tennis court next week in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.

Feeling overwhelmed, however, is not one of them.

The Farrington alum and former University of Hawaii player is trying to keep things as simple as possible as he gears up to compete in the qualifying tournament for the U.S. Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Center.

“Maybe when I was younger I would think, ‘Yeah, I want to play in all of the slams,” Ilagan said via Zoom interview on Wednesday. “I think now it’s just I’m taking it all in. I think that’s my best way to say it. I’m taking these experiences like I could end my career and say I’ve done it. I’m proud to say at least I did it once. Will I ever do it again? Who knows.”

Ilagan, 25, is living in the moment after qualifying for the wild card draw to be the first UH alum to play in the U.S. Open. He will have to win three matches next week to earn his way into the main draw of the major tournament, which begins Aug. 30.

Two weeks ago, Ilagan reached the final of the Lexington Open ATP Challenger event, losing in a third-set tiebreaker.

He rattled off four straight wins again last week at the Indiana Hardcourt Championships AP Challenger event and made the final that also ended in a tiebreaker.

He jumped 33 spots to No. 210 in the latest ATP rankings released on Aug. 10 and should climb into the top 200 when the next rankings are released.

It was a big enough jump to secure him a wild card bid into one of the four professional Grand Slam tennis tournaments.

“I finaled earlier in the summer and I was like, I think I’ve got a good shot at getting a wild card, but you never know,” Ilagan said. “That was more of a relief. OK, rest of the year, knowing that paycheck is going to happen, I can swing freely, I can play, I can relax a bit.”

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Ilagan also said he has qualified for the Australian Open next year due to the points system.

Ilagan has made roughly $150,000 in career earnings and more than $60,000 this season, according to the ATP Tour website.

By qualifying to play in the U.S. Open, those numbers will jump, allowing him to continue play professional tennis.

He turned professional after graduating from UH in 2023, when he became the first Rainbow Warrior to earn ITA All-American honors after advancing to the round of 16 in the NCAA Championships.

“Obviously playing in the U.S. Open for the first time is good for the bank account,” Ilagan said. “It’s a lot different from other sports. In my case, you’re on your own or you find people that like your story or like who you are and they support you. I’m lucky to have people that believe in me still and if it wasn’t for those people I wouldn’t be playing and I wouldn’t have enough money to get along.”

Ilagan has played in 22 ATP Challenger events this year with two semifinal exits and five trips to a final without winning.

He is coached by Daniel Llarenas, who played at UH from 2009 to ’11.

Ilagan got off to a slow start this season, but since he and his coach have come together, his performance and results have gotten significantly better.

“My first few years (as a pro) were a bit rough, especially my first year,” Ilagan said. “(Danny) and I started off the year butting heads a little bit because I think our goals were a bit different. But also, trying to figure myself out … my mindset this year has been trying to maximize who I am as a person.”

Ilagan said he expects to find out his draw for the tournament on Sunday night just before it starts on Monday.

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