By Nicole Tieu
Despite the harsh blowing winds, boys varsity tennis was able to beat Newport Harbor 12-6 during their match on Apr. 29. Their record continues to rise with seven wins and one loss. This has been the boys’ sixth victory in a row with only two more matches until league finals.
The matches ended earlier than usual as the boys played quicker rallies. Their opponent that day was not only the Sailors, but the roaring wind and hot sun. The singles players struggled against the unexpected weather conditions, but still contributed to the overall success at the end of the match.
Head coach Harshul Patel noted, “We really prepared to play their number one, who is a high ranked guy, but it [the wind] really affected our top players quite a bit.”
The doubles teams swept the competition with partners with Darren Dinh (’14) and Winston Ngo (’14) winning all three matches 6-1. Although Ngo usually competes as a singles player, he and Dinh showed their strength together and crushed the competition during their sets.
“It [playing doubles] was fun, a lot different than playing singles because it’s a change of pace in game and fitness level,” said Ngo. “For doubles it’s two or three rallies and it’s done, while singles tend to last longer.”
In addition, Johnny Luu (’15) and Brandon Nguyen (’15) played strategically throughout their matches. In spite of having to face some tough competition, they pulled through with their strengths in volleys, footwork, and groundstrokes. They were able to win all three of their doubles matches.
“What helped me and Brandon through the struggles were that we had a lot more communication today because it was a tough match and also very windy,” explained Luu.
The boys will continue to practice and find their best lineup for league finals next week. They will also be preparing for competing in the upcoming CIF Championships.
Photos by Tue Duong
