Marc was feeding his competitive nature, and Jeremy wanted to do exactly what his big brother was doing.
“I was 10 years old when one of my soccer teammates asked me to play tennis, and we went out one day, and he beat me,” said OSU assistant tennis coach Marc Wurtzman. “That annoyed me, so I decided to take lessons.”
“Jeremy started taking them too. He was 3 or 4 at the time,” he said. “He could barely see over the net. I think he was still in diapers.”
The Wurtzmans’ father, Steve Wurtzman, also played a role in the OSU brother duo. He had pushed the boys towards tennis or golf because he knew they were sports that could be played for many years he said. Both sons chose tennis.
It started with Marc Wurtzman making national tournaments only a year after he began the sport. Jeremy Wurtzman, who is a junior on the Buckeye tennis squad, was involved in tournaments by age 5.
“One thing that drew me in is that I was very successful at a young age,” Jeremy Wurtzman said. “I was always pretty much the best of my age group.”
While growing up, Marc and Jeremy Wurtzman were involved in typical activities of adolescent boys. Marc played baseball, soccer and golf. He was social and had a lot of friends. Jeremy did what little brothers do – looked up to his big brother and followed his lead. Being six years apart in age put distance between the two.
“When I was a senior in high school Jeremy was only 12, so we were in different stages in our lives,” Marc Wurtzman said.
In 1994 Marc Wurtzman headed to Ohio State to further his tennis career. He had attended a semester at a tennis academy in Florida during high school but returned home to finish out school in Rochester, N.Y.
“Marc didn’t stay at the academy because he liked the balanced life of a regular high school,” Steve Wurtzman said.
When the time came for Jeremy Wurtzman to attend the Brickhouse Academy in Florida, it was a different story.
He left home during the second semester of his high school sophomore year. He stayed in Florida through his freshman year of college in 2000 where he attended the University of Florida.
“In my and my wife’s minds, we weren’t ready for Jeremy to go away,” Steve Wurtzman said. “He was ready to grow, though, and needed to go away to do that. He was more focused on tennis at that time than Marc had been.”
After his freshman year in college, Jeremy Wurtzman looked into other options for school when the head coach that had drawn him to Florida left.
Having graduated from OSU and having worked slightly with OSU coach Ty Tucker his senior year, Marc Wurtzman pushed Jeremy Wurtzman towards a tennis career up north.
At that time, Marc was working as an assistant tennis coach at Wisconsin. It was not until this past summer that he returned to his alma mater and his brother.
“Ever since I came here, I thought it would be great if Marc came to be my assistant coach, and then it just worked out that way,” Jeremy Wurtzman said. “I was happy for him and glad to be around him because I hadn’t been around him for years.”
The opportunity turned into a way for the brothers to further their relationship and careers.
“Marc is the perfect compliment for Jeremy. He helps him out on the court and gives him a release off the court as well,” Tucker said. “I think it is a chance for two brothers to spend some time together after high school. When they are separated by that many years, brothers normally aren’t able to keep up that kind of a relationship.”
The effect of Marc Wurtzman’s coaching helped Jeremy Wurtzman accomplish many honors this season. He was an All-Big Ten pick after an undefeated regular season in the Big Ten. He was also chosen to compete in the NCAA individual championships.
“I definitely wouldn’t have been able to achieve the things I have achieved this year without Marc here,” Jeremy Wurtzman said. “I think the reason he helped me out so much is because we were automatically close because we are brothers. When I have a coach, I like to be pretty close to them. I don’t like to just see them on the court; I look for them to be my friend.”
Jeremy Wurtzman performed in the No. 1 singles spot this season and was an integral part to the Buckeyes’ most successful year in school history. He was ranked throughout the entire season, finishing at No. 33.
He went 35-8 in singles and 24-4 in doubles. This was a good follow-up to his sophomore season where he finished 32-15 in singles and No. 31 in the nation. He fell short of the top 25 All-American mark both seasons.
“It is too bad that the only thing Jeremy hasn’t accomplished is being an All-American, but it is tough in this region,” Tucker said. “The region is getting stronger and it is starting to get more respect. Jeremy Wurtzman should have been an All-American this year and quite frankly, one last year.”
Despite this, Jeremy Wurtzman has already accomplished more than his brother was able to at OSU. Marc Wurtzman’s career included a move from No. 6 singles in his freshman year to the No. 1 singles and team captain his senior year.
“Jeremy has surpassed me. I never made NCAAs or All-Big Ten,” Marc Wurtzman said. “I enjoyed playing and had a good career, but he has jumped over that two or three times.”
Off the court both Marc and Jeremy Wurtzman are thought to be nice guys with big hearts, Tucker said.
Their parents, who have always supported their careers, admit to being proud. Steve Wurtzman and his wife Judy try to travel to Columbus from their New York home to support their sons for weekend matches.
“We have enjoyed watching them and still do,” Steve Wurtzman said. “We are there every inch of the way.”
When he is not playing tennis, Jeremy Wurtzman enjoys reading, watching sports and hanging out with friends. He is majoring in human ecology just like his brother did years ago.
The brothers do not spend much time together off the court but talk on the phone a lot. They also go out and catch the occasional dinner and a movie.
The childhood roles they played seem to remain as Jeremy Wurtzman continues to look up to Marc.
“It is great to have Marc by my side. He is very harmless and is always looking out for the best interest for everyone, whether it be making guys better as a team or even outside,” Jeremy Wurtzman said. “With all the people around him, he just always tries to help; which is nice to know that you have that there.”
The two plan to continue with tennis for years to come but are looking at it from different avenues.
Marc Wurtzman wants to continue to coach but is looking for an opportunity to be a head coach at a university. Jeremy Wurtzman wants to continue playing.
“Right now, I have two (Association of Tennis Professionals) points, which I think puts me at 1,300 or 1,200 in the world right now, so I have a long way to go. I am just going to hopefully step it up this summer and hope it will have a domino effect on next year,” Jeremy Wurtzman said. “After next year, I am going to go out and play the tour. I definitely have a lot more years of tennis to come.”
