Bio
Niels VILLARD
- Height 6-3
- Hometown Meaux
Niels Villard : French Tennis Player at Arizona State University
Niels Villard is a French tennis player competing at the NCAA Division I level with Arizona State University, a member of the Big 12 Conference. Originally from Meaux, France, he brings a strong French junior background and two seasons of college experience, first at the University of Florida, then at Arizona State, heading into his junior year for the 2026-27 season.
Career Path
Before beginning his college career, Villard built a solid foundation in the French tennis system, reaching a French national ranking of -15 and a UTR of 12.54, along with several singles and doubles titles on the domestic circuit.
He began his NCAA career at the University of Florida for the 2024-25 season, where he competed primarily from the sixth singles position. As a freshman with the Gators, he posted a 7-4 dual-match singles record across 12 matches, along with a 2-1 doubles record playing alongside a different partner in each match.
Transfer to Arizona State and Breakout Sophomore Season (2025-26)
Villard transferred to Arizona State for the 2025-26 season, quickly moving up the Sun Devils’ lineup and taking on a bigger role from the third, fourth, and fifth singles positions.
Season highlights include :
- A 10-9 singles record and an 8-9 doubles record across 21 matches
- A 4-0 start to the season in his first five singles matches
- A signature win over then-No. 8 ranked San Diego, defeating Neo Niedner 6-4, 6-3 at the fifth position
- A contributing win in ASU’s second upset of a ranked USD squad, defeating 2025 WCC Freshman of the Year Adrien Berrut, 6-1, 3-6, 7-5
- A five-match winning streak to open his doubles season alongside Shu Matsuoka and Ofek Shimanov
His consistency earned him Big 12 Player of the Week honors twice during the season (January 20 and April 7, 2026) — the second coming after an undefeated 3-0 weekend that included two singles wins and a doubles win.
Arizona State finished the season ranked as high as No. 27 nationally, closing the regular season at 17-10 (4-4 Big 12) before falling to UCF in the Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals.
Playing Profile
Villard is known for his quickness around the court and his fast racket takeback, allowing him to close out points efficiently on both wings. His steady progression — from a role player at Florida to a two-time conference Player of the Week at Arizona State — reflects a player who has continued adapting and growing at each stage of his college career.
Looking Ahead
Entering his junior season in 2026-27, Niels Villard is positioned as one of Arizona State’s more experienced and reliable pieces, with two college programs’ worth of dual-match experience behind him and a track record of delivering in high-pressure conference matches.