The boys tennis team (13-3 overall, 10-2 Peninsula Athletic League) beat one of their old rivals, Carlmont, with a score of 4-3. The game was postponed and ultimately lasted for two days due to rain that started on March 28.
“We were down 0-3, but we were able to turn it around and win the next four matches,” said senior singles player Daniel Li. “While I think our win is truly a team effort, singles player Daniel Duan deserves a lot of credit.”
The team was able to win three more matches to tie with Carlmont, but it was up to Duan to win his match so the Dons could walk out with a victory.
“He ended up winning seven games in a row, as well as defending three to four match points in what was the craziest comeback I’ve seen in my four years,” said senior doubles player Richard Tang. “Honestly this was the craziest varsity team match I’ve been a part of.”
Since Menlo-Atherton usually takes the top spot in the league, the Dons often play against Carlmont for the second place spot. Being able to beat Carlmont was a huge win for the team and for their rank in the league.
“I just want to say that I’m really proud of our team for pulling this one out and the way we were able to win it, especially because we were missing a few players and had to readjust our lineup,” Li said. “We adapted really well, and the belief we had in each other, our team spirit and certain individual performances allowed us to squeeze through.”
This year, the boys tennis team has focused on shot focus drills, like volley drills, overhead drills and baseline drills.
“[Last year,] we threw some games up [that we] should have won due to some careless attitudes, but this year we’re definitely learning from our mistakes, and we’re better at staying composed in the moment,” said senior doubles player Rithik Booreddy. “Last year, we took a more relaxed approach where we just played … We thought that was enough but it wasn’t.”
Last season, the Dons had gone up to the second round of the Central Coast Section playoffs. This year they are hoping to surpass last year’s achievements. The Dons are also aiming to first in the PAL division; however, this would mean beating Menlo-Atherton, one of the top teams in the division that has gone undefeated during the regular season in recent years.
“Honestly, this was the craziest varsity team match I’ve been a part of”
“We feel pretty confident that we have a chance to win when we face them again this Friday, so one of our big objectives is to put in a put a historic loss on Menlo-Atherton’s record,” said senior singles player Ilan Leventhal.
Li also notes that the underclassmen have improved during the off-season and positively contribute to the team.
“We had a lot of young players last season who have matured a lot over the break,” he said. “A lot of them have been training in the off-season.”
Two new freshman team members, Ryan Firestone and Nicky Dobbs, are also helping carry the team towards their goals.
“When they play together, their lack of experience in the high school game doesn’t really show,” Leventhal said. “They’re very mature for their age, and they’re very mature as tennis players, and they manage to get the results even without upperclassmen on the court with them.”
Tang agrees with Leventhal and Li that the freshman are a positive addition to the team.
“They bring a lot of energy to the team,” Tang said. “They’re fun to be around, and I think that they’ll be great players in the future.
The Dons look to carry their regular season success into the PAL and CCS playoffs.
Many of the Dons practice during the off-season and are making the team stronger as well as contributing to their goal in making it past the second round in the CCS playoffs.
“I think there’s a lot of room for improvement. It was a big step in the right direction … We had a lot of young players last season who have matured a lot over the break,” Leventhal said. “I feel that this is the strongest our team has been for many years and … this is our season where we can achieve things that this tennis team hasn’t achieved before. I’m very optimistic about our season.”
The Dons are set to play rival Hillsdale (3-5 in the Peninsula Athletic League) on April 10.
