From court to coursework: Kasnikowski's dual pursuit

Maks Kasnikowski was frantically finishing last-minute homework on a Friday night in his Poznan hotel room. Just 24 hours later, the 20-year-old would be playing the biggest match of his young career.

Kasnikowski, who is taking ‘five to six’ online classes a semester at Uniwersytet WSB Merito, is used to this routine. He brings his computer with him while travelling on the ATP Challenger Tour, watching pre-recorded classes and completing assignments remotely. Speaking with ATPTour.com on a day he finished three exams, the Pole has passed some of his biggest on-court tests at the tail-end of the last two semesters.

“Usually I leave a lot of [homework] for the last moment, which is not good!” Kasnikowski said with a laugh. “I should do it more regularly.”

Kasnikowski won his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title in January at the Oeiras Indoor 1, where he dramatically saved six match points in the first round and later beat home favourite Gastao Elias in the final. Kasnikowski’s latest triumph at the Enea Poznan Open marked the third Polish champion in the tournament’s 29-year history, joining Jerzy Janowicz (2012) and Hubert Hurkacz (2018).

The Challenger 75 trophy is Kasnikowski’s biggest career title, made even sweeter by winning in front of a standing-room only home crowd. The common denominator of both title runs? Completing homework assignments with deadlines quickly approaching.

“When I was playing in Poznan, I had a couple days where I had to work on some projects and get some things done. I was playing in the morning and then in the evening, I had to spend an hour or two doing university,” Kasnikowski said. "On the final day, I was free. I finished everything before the final on the previous day. For the final, I was only focussed on the match.

“Also the same thing happened in Oeiras because it was the end of semester and the deadlines were there.”

^{Maks Kasnikowski celebrates winning the Poznan Challenger. Credit: Karolina Kiraga-Rychter}

One of three players with ATP Challenger Tour titles on both clay and hard courts in 2024, Kasnikowski is the No. 193 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, having first cracked the Top 200 after winning in Poznan. Sitting in Kasnikowski’s box during each of his title runs was his 17-year-old brother, Hubert.

“He joined me before the [quarter-final] match [in Oeiras] with [Joao] Sousa. The first two matches I was alone there and then I said, ‘Okay, I’m playing the next match against Joao, he’s a local guy so a lot of fans are supporting him, I need someone to cheer for me and help me!’” Kasnikowski said. “I said to my brother that I need him to come and support me and we won the tournament together.

“In Poznan, my brother was also there with me. So two Challenger titles for me with my brother. I think he’s my lucky charm.”

Born and raised in Warsaw, Kasnikowski started playing tennis aged four. But he laughs while calling those early days ‘tennis’. Rather, it was chasing balloons and running freely with other kids because he was ‘too small to hold a racquet’. Kasnikowski, who turns 21 on Saturday, played his first tournament at age seven and his tennis passion only strengthened.

In good company 🇵🇱

Maks Kasnikowski becomes the first Polish player to win on home soil at the Poznan Open since Hurkacz in 2018#ATPChallenger | @HubertHurkacz | @poznanopen pic.twitter.com/wRXB57gpIp

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) June 22, 2024

Now his childhood dream of being a professional is a reality and Kasnikowski has not let slip his love for the sport. It is not uncommon for him to study more experienced players by watching their matches on demand. Among Kasnikowski’s favourites outside of his idol Rafael Nadal are Bernabe Zapata Miralles and Joao Sousa, whom the Pole beat in Oeiras.

“I try to take some stuff that the guys use, the tactics or technique, or something they use mentally. How they behave on the court, how they handle pressure on court at moments,” Kasnikowski said. “I try to take something from every match that I watch.

“Joao was one of the guys I would look up to and take some things, how he plays and how he behaves. Just the passion and everything he has is something that stood out to me.

“I had the opportunity to meet [Bernabe] in Perugia. It was a really nice meeting. I also practised with him, had a couple of good words that he told me. It was three years ago when I saw him at the Poznan Challenger, he won there. Since then I really followed his career and watched a lot of his matches. I really liked his spirit on the court and the passion he has for the sport.”

Studying — on and off court — is working well for Kasnikowski. The positive-spirited counterpuncher has added a pair of trophies to his cabinet this year, all while juggling his business management courses.