Penn men's tennis sensation Matthew Rutter continues to turn heads on the hardcourt

 From across the pond to the City of Brotherly Love.

As Penn men’s tennis wraps up a successful 2024 season, sophomore Matthew Rutter continues to showcase his impressive skill on the hardcourt, leaving his mark on the Ivy League. Growing up in the United Kingdom, Rutter's transition to going to school in the United States felt different at first. At Penn, a rigorous academic workload along with a strict training schedule meant that both academic and athletic commitments would have to be balanced. While moving to another country is never easy, Rutter has found his home at Penn, where he remains steadfast in his tennis goals.

“Coming to the U.S. and having the ability to work and be around people of a different country is something I always wanted to do,” Rutter said.

For the first few matches of the season, Rutter played with freshman Parashar Bharadwaj as his doubles partner. Through this collaboration, Rutter and Bharadwaj developed a strong relationship both on and off the court. Indeed, Bharadwaj notes how Rutter’s unmatched work ethic is what has allowed him to flourish while hitting both the books and the tennis courts.

“His ability to organize between athletics and school is very impressive and is a strong reason for why his season was as successful as it was,” Bharadwaj said. “Matt is a guy that you can always depend on to bring intensity and a high level of commitment and dedication to practice … [he] treats every practice like it’s a match.”

Looking at Rutter’s individual record, he has established a stellar resume that includes 18 wins overall against only five losses. With his primary doubles partner junior Baylor Sai, they posted a record of 10 wins against nine losses. Having a winning percentage in both singles and doubles, Rutter played a pivotal role in what would be the team’s highlight of the season — the Eastern College Athletic Conference Men’s Indoor Championship in February.

Hosted at Penn’s Hecht Tennis Center, the championship saw the Quakers make the final of the event for the first time since 2019. Facing Dartmouth and Cornell in the first two rounds, respectively, Rutter won both of his individual matches to secure important wins for the Red and Blue. Despite losing in the final to Princeton, the progress that this formidable Quaker team made could not be overlooked.

“In terms of doubles, as the season progressed, me and Baylor have started [to] work a lot better as a unit, which has translated into some good results, especially during the ECAC tournament or the Ivy League tournament,” Rutter said. “We had some good wins against Dartmouth, Cornell, and Princeton, which really helped us [and] was a leading factor in helping us make the final.”

In fact, it was during the ECAC tournament that Rutter’s chemistry with his primary doubles partner Sai improved tremendously. Although the pair got off to a shaky start, losing their first three matches together, Rutter knew that it was only a matter of time before things got clicking.

“At the start of the season, it was tough as we hadn’t played with each other much,” Rutter said. “Through a lot of practices and hard work, we put together a good partnership and we started to really develop a team identity, which has helped us win some crucial matches and points during the season.”

There is often a saying that sports is more than just a game. No matter whether an individual succeeds or fails, an athlete creates lifelong bonds and memories with teammates, coaches, and competitors alike. At Penn, Rutter believes that success is great, but having teammates that have his back through thick and thin is even more important.

“One of the best things about being [in] a team here at [Penn] is it just provides you with a really good social network and social net to just really just delve yourself into,” Rutter said. “It’s great to share that with them for me over the next two years, which I am going to really look forward to.”

Looking to the future, the Quakers will be bringing in four freshmen that will add to Penn’s dynamic squad. Given that the team lost five seniors a season ago, Rutter believes that the team’s youth will play more in their favor, rather than serve as a detriment. As Rutter reflects on a fruitful 2024 tennis campaign, he looks to carry over his dominant play style into next season — and is ready to put a little English on it.