A Memorable End to the High School Tennis Season
Author: Sidharth Menon
The Michigan High School Athletics Association’s (MHSAA) Boys Tennis State Finals in Kalamazoo, MI, ended on October 15th, 2021, and capped what was a historic season for both the Troy Athens and Troy High School Varsity Tennis teams. After hours of practice and a season consisting of almost 30 total matches, the hard work put in by all the players got rewarded as Troy High School achieved the prestigious title of regional and state champions and Troy Athens reached their highest state finish in school history (7th).
Troy High finished with 30 points at the MHSAA State Finals and placed above 2nd-placed Bloomfield Hills with 26 points. Troy Athens finished 7th, tied with Catholic Central High School and 1 point behind Ann Arbor Huron High School. Along with a spectacular team effort from both schools, individual performances stole the show in many flights. Troy High had state champions at #2 and #3 doubles, as well as finalists at #1 doubles, #2 singles, and #4 singles. Troy Athens also had semi-finalists at #1 and #2 doubles.
Troy High finished with 30 points at the MHSAA State Finals and placed above 2nd-placed Bloomfield Hills with 26 points. Troy Athens finished 7th, tied with Catholic Central High School and 1 point behind Ann Arbor Huron High School. Along with a spectacular team effort from both schools, individual performances stole the show in many flights. Troy High had state champions at #2 and #3 doubles, as well as finalists at #1 doubles, #2 singles, and #4 singles. Troy Athens also had semi-finalists at #1 and #2 doubles.
Many International Academy East students participated in the competition, including semi-finalists Mayank Gudi, Ayush Patel, and Rithwik Paladugu. Juniors Ishan Nair and Ruchir Sriram earned points at #3 doubles, as well as seniors Anay Modi and Armaan Verma. A special shoutout to senior Aryan Verma, who captained the Troy Athens team and motivated them throughout the season. Here is a reflection on the season from Mayank Gudi, a current senior at IA East and Captain of the Troy Athens Varsity team:
How was the overall season?
Mayank: In my opinion, and I think everyone’s, the season went spectacular! Each person put in so much hard work and it finally paid off.
What did you think the team did better this season than the last?
Mayank: I think that the team had a major realization this year, and this is what changed our attitude and made us work harder. Last year, we had two amazing players to rely on, but this year, we all had to rely on each other. It built a great bond and a great attitude across the entire team.
How did it feel breaking a Troy Athens state placement record in your last year?
Mayank: It honestly felt surreal. After hearing talks and even saying things about how Athens will diminish once they lose their two best players, I thought all hope was lost. But being able to prove others wrong was the best feeling in the world.
What are you hoping for in the future of Athens tennis?
Mayank: I am hoping that Athens is able to repeat our state finish or possibly do better in the upcoming years. Although a great amount of seniors are leaving, they do have amazing freshmen coming in.
All in all, the 2021-2022 boys’ high school tennis season was a season that was rewarding for everyone - players, coaches, and fans. Hopefully, the brilliant team and individual performances will continue to attract more students from IA East to the sport and try out for future seasons to come.
How was the overall season?
Mayank: In my opinion, and I think everyone’s, the season went spectacular! Each person put in so much hard work and it finally paid off.
What did you think the team did better this season than the last?
Mayank: I think that the team had a major realization this year, and this is what changed our attitude and made us work harder. Last year, we had two amazing players to rely on, but this year, we all had to rely on each other. It built a great bond and a great attitude across the entire team.
How did it feel breaking a Troy Athens state placement record in your last year?
Mayank: It honestly felt surreal. After hearing talks and even saying things about how Athens will diminish once they lose their two best players, I thought all hope was lost. But being able to prove others wrong was the best feeling in the world.
What are you hoping for in the future of Athens tennis?
Mayank: I am hoping that Athens is able to repeat our state finish or possibly do better in the upcoming years. Although a great amount of seniors are leaving, they do have amazing freshmen coming in.
All in all, the 2021-2022 boys’ high school tennis season was a season that was rewarding for everyone - players, coaches, and fans. Hopefully, the brilliant team and individual performances will continue to attract more students from IA East to the sport and try out for future seasons to come.