Max Benson: Fully Committed to Season Two
INTENNSE Tennis
5 MINS | Published on 12/22/25
Max Benson always had a feeling tennis would be his ticket to college. Growing up in upstate New York, he wasn’t surrounded by elite academies or packed junior draws — but he and his family shared a vision: use tennis as a pathway to opportunity. “The plan was always to go play college tennis,” he said. “I knew I loved the sport, and I didn’t think I was just gonna go to college and stop.”
With limited training options nearby, Benson spent his early years bouncing between local coaches until high school, when his family made a tough call — he needed more daily competition. That decision sent him south to a Florida academy, along with online school and hours of court time each day. “Four or five hours, every day,” he said. “Most kids were chasing ITFs, but for us, it just made more sense to play USTA tournaments, stay closer to home — and honestly, college coaches could see me more that way.”
He laughs when describing his junior days — never the superstar recruit, but always steady. “I wasn’t unreal or anything,” he said. “I was decent. I mean, four-star — that’s better than one, two, or three-star.”
That “decent” résumé turned into a real opportunity when Presbyterian College showed interest. After a practice session in Florida, the coach pulled him aside with an offer he couldn’t ignore. “He told me, ‘I’m going to give you an offer you can’t refuse,’” Benson recalled. “When I saw ‘full scholarship,’ I was like, okay, I’m in.”
On court, college tennis felt like a natural transition after years away from home. In the classroom, not so much. “I’ll admit, I was more of an athlete-student. School was tough, but I scraped by.”
What he did embrace was the energy of college dual matches. “I thrived in that environment,” he said. Over five seasons, he learned that hype and talent alone don’t win team titles. “We came in as the top recruiting class in the Big South — all the best UTRs — and still lost early in the conference tournament. That’s when I learned talent doesn’t always win. You’ve gotta compete, fight, and actually care about the team.”
Leadership became his calling card. “Every team needs that guy — the one who’ll call people out, keep everyone accountable. I tried to be that guy.”
By graduation, Benson had carved out one of the strongest careers in school history — though he’s quick to deflect the praise. “I’ve looked at the records; I’m not number one in everything,” he said. When reminded he’s among the best in program history, he immediately deflected again: “C’mon, there’s a two-time Grand Slam champ from the Big South — I’m not that guy.”
After college, he wasn’t ready to hang up the racket. “I knew I wanted to give pro life a shot,” he said. “I knew money was going to be tight, but I wasn’t too worried. You figure it out.” That summer, he and a teammate packed their bags and flew to Serbia to grind it out on the lower-tier circuit. “I loved it — the travel, the competition, meeting people. Even when you barely break even, it’s still worth it.”
His path eventually crossed with INTENNSE through Andrew Satinoff, now VP Media Production & Operations, a hitting partner who shared the early vision for the league. “He told me about it, and I remember thinking, ‘That sounds awesome… but how are you gonna pull that off?’” Benson laughed. “He told me, ‘We’ll figure it out.’ And sure enough, a year later, INTENNSE popped up, and I was like — wait, that’s the thing he told me about!”
By then, Benson was in Jacksonville coaching at North Florida and started training with people connected to one of the teams. The timing felt right. “I wanted to try it, see what it’s about,” he said. “Next thing I knew, I was in the first season.”
Once he signed on, he went all in. What stood out immediately was the atmosphere — nothing like college or the pro tour. “At INTENNSE, everyone treats you like a star. The fans, the staff — they’re there for you,” Benson said. “When you play Futures, you’re just another guy. But at INTENNSE? You’re part of the show. The lights, the horns, the crowd — it’s unreal.”
Fans quickly noticed his sideline energy — cheering, hyping teammates, even getting under opponents’ skin. “I fully committed,” he said with a smile. “You can’t tell me I didn’t.” It wasn’t an act; that fire had always been part of his identity. “In five years of college, I think I sat out maybe six matches. I was always that loud guy until refs told me to calm down,” he joked.
At INTENNSE, he didn’t have to hold back. “I realized pretty early it could help us — maybe get a free point here or there,” he said. “So I kept doing it. No going back after that.”
For Benson, the league checks every box — team competition, high energy, and personality. “It’s everything I love about tennis,” he said. “You get to be yourself, play for something bigger, and feed off the crowd. That’s what makes it special.”
With his name already locked in for Season Two, Benson’s ready for more. “I can’t wait to be back — lights, horns, everything. That environment? That’s me.”
Applications for players are due by January 31, 2026.
