Varsity Tennis battled through a challenging tournament this weekend, using the experience as preparation for an even bigger stage ahead as the team now turns its focus toward nationals in Dallas next week.
Competing in one of their toughest draws of the season, the Mavericks faced higher-seeded opponents and adjusted to sunny Texas conditions, treating the tournament as both a test and a learning opportunity before traveling for national competition.
Junior Nikhil Sridharan said the level of competition pushed the team to elevate its game.
“It was definitely a lot more of a difficult tournament. There’s a lot of really good teams there,” Sridharan said. “It was honestly just like a really good tennis lesson. Essentially like I learned a lot from these matches which was great.”
Despite the difficulty of the draw, Sridharan found confidence in his doubles performance.
“I think I played really well regarding my ground strokes and how I was consistent with them,” Sridharan said. “Because it allowed my teammate to be set up to hit the volley at the net and kind of put the ball away and we can win the point.”
Rather than focusing solely on results, the team emphasized strategy and composure in tight matches.
“All the matches were really difficult but I think honestly the best way that we handled it was just to play smarter,” Sridharan said. “We stayed consistent with the ball. So we tried to make the opponents make mistakes and not us make mistakes.”
Junior Suhani Rai said the tournament also required the team to readjust physically to outdoor conditions.
“So this is the first tournament we played in sunny weather in a while so we are once again just getting used to Texas Heat and playing in these conditions,” Rai said.
In doubles play, Rai highlighted patience and chemistry as key strengths.
“Me and my partner we did really well on being patient during our rallies and playing strategically against our opponents,” Rai said. “Being close to everyone on a team has really helped for our matches.”
As the Mavericks prepare for nationals in Dallas next week, the lessons from this tournament will serve as momentum. With improved strategy, stronger communication, and a tight-knit team culture, Varsity Tennis heads into the final stretch of its season ready to compete on a larger stage.
