Sam Nicholson Named INTENNSE™ MVP After Season of Dominance
INTENNSE Tennis
3 MINS | Published on 08/27/25
ATLANTA, GA - August 29, 2025 - Sam Nicholson’s first summer in the INTENNSE™ Arena ended with one of the league’s top honors: Men’s MVP. The award reflected his dominance in singles, his role in Jacksonville’s men’s singles run, and his impact as a driving force behind the team’s success.
It was also a season that featured one of the most defining moments in league history. In Week 4, Nicholson delivered a record-setting 83 to 45 victory over Atlanta in Men’s Singles, the most dominant individual performance of the season, giving Jacksonville a 38-point cushion to start the night. That “statement performance” fueled Jacksonville’s win over the league’s other top team and set the tone for the MVP campaign that followed.
“I played well all summer, got the MVP, but it wasn’t enough to lead my team to victory,” Nicholson said. “Perhaps if I played my best on a few more days and got a couple more 20 or 30-point leads, then maybe we could have taken it back. On paper, the other teams were very strong, and I was just hoping not to do anything embarrassing on TV.”
While he downplayed his achievements, Nicholson’s consistency stood out. Each week, he delivered in high-pressure moments, building momentum that his teammates fed off. His ability to reset quickly and treat every outing with the same intensity separated him from the rest.
“I generally do treat it all like next point, next match,” he said. “Every point needs my full focus. There wasn’t really any thinking of, ‘I’m the main guy.’ I still felt like a small fish out there compared to the guys like Kevin King, Trent Bryde, and Noori Adam. I had to prove myself like I was just a qualifier.”
That underdog mentality fueled his rise. Even as expectations grew, he managed them by staying grounded. “When I heard I was the MVP, I felt like I had to go prove it again right there,” he explained. “Not like I have to, I get to. But I do have to show it, or else Sam Frizelle might as well be MVP, or Noori, or Trey, because all of them are capable.”
The environment of the INTENNSE Arena added another layer of challenge. Nicholson thrived under the noise, energy, and unpredictability. “It’s literally intense,” he said with a smile. “Rankings go out the window. It’s like chess and boxing at the same time. There’s a lot of thought going into it, but there’s a lot of physicality too.”
Off the court, the balance provided by his coach and team played a huge role. “It’s very important what kind of coach I’m with and how much freedom I get,” Nicholson said. “Coach Claudio (Pistolesi) gave me that freedom. Being able to reset in Asheville or Wilmington, run and cycle, or just clear my head, that was one hundred percent key to my success. If I feel comfortable, I can play my best, and the rest sorts itself out.”
Even as the MVP, Nicholson refused to separate himself from his teammates, pointing out that the recognition was as much about the group as it was about him. “Claudio prepared us all every day as a team. He didn’t give MVPs any special treatment. Regardless of how I did, it’s the team, and I just wanted to end the weekend and the summer on a win.”
Beyond the tennis, what Nicholson cherished most was the community built around INTENNSE. “Aside from the winning, I’d say the networking, meeting all the lovely people, is what really stands out,” he reflected. “Everyone involved, from the sheriff to the stringers, has been incredible. It’s been so cool getting to know them.”
The summer may be over, but Nicholson is already thinking about what comes next.
“It’s been a couple of days since, and I feel the same as everybody else. I can’t wait for it all to happen again,” he said. “You guys have something for me, tennis-wise, that enables me to carry on competing. If you didn’t trust me, I wouldn’t have had such a good time this summer. So yeah, of course I look forward to next time.”
