With their latest victories against the Pasadena Bulldogs and the Monrovia Wildcats and their most recent loss to the La Cañada Spartans, the Boys Varsity Tennis team currently maintains an overall record of 9-5 and a 1-3 record in league play. The team hopes to build on their strong 8-2 preseason record. As the season progresses, players are constantly looking for improvements in technique and gameplay.
“In terms of strengths, our team is strong in the doubles category and we have better net play than most other teams,” Freshman Justin Jia said. “Some of our weaknesses are that we tend to give the other team easy points, specifically in our returns and double faults; we also have a hard time if the opposing team has strong singles players.”
In the most recent home game, which was postponed due to heavy rain, the Rams suffered a defeat to the La Cañada Spartans. The majority of the Spartans’ score came from their victories in their singles matches.
At the home game against Pasadena, the Rams beat the Bulldogs 17-1 on March 25. The Rams began the game with a strong start, performing well in both the doubles and singles matchups, and were able to build their lead against the Bulldogs from there.
The Rams also lost 17-1 to the San Marino Titans on March 22. The game did not go as expected, which resulted in a slow start for the Rams which eventually cost them the game.
“San Marino has a really strong team in general,“ Jia said. “They are among one of the top teams in our league. Most of their players started played tennis at a young age, so they have more skill and more experience than us in terms of tennis.”
In hopes of improving upon their 9-5 record throughout the season, the Rams train to strengthen their gameplay, building on footwork and team chemistry. A normal practice includes many drills and exercises that help the Rams maintain their concentration and endurance.
“At the beginning of practice, we practice serves and do drills,” Sophomore Ryan Wang said. “Towards the end, we play sets against one another.”
The Rams have high hopes for this season; one common goal shared among teammates is to be able to participate in the C.I.F. playoffs.
Many of the team members have personal goals as well, like improving their techniques, such as footwork and strokes, in order to perform better both in tournaments and overall matches.
“For me, one of my personal goals is to play my best during each and every one of my tennis matches,” Wang said. “We have a stronger team this year than last year, so I want to take advantage of that and use it to ensure that we have a good season this year.”
In order for the Rams to move onward to the C.I.F. playoffs, the Rams have to be placed among one of the top positions in the Rio Hondo League. These positions are highly contested for between multiple teams, particularly the San Marino Titans and the La Cañada Spartans. The Rams are vying for a spot and are working towards it with every game they play. The Ram’s next games are against the Monrovia Wildcats and the South Pasadena Tigers.
TCHS School Newspaper