South’s two Varsity Girls’ Tennis doubles teams entered sectionals as teammates but finished the tournament competing against each other for first place. Senior Katya Denizov and sophomore Eloise Donnelly placed first, and sophomore Natalie Denizov and junior Ella Sanders took second, qualifying both of the pairs for the state tournament.
The match highlighted the dichotomy between tennis as an individual and team sport, where players compete alongside partners while also representing their school, Meg Hoxha, Varsity Girls’ Tennis Coach, said. The teams’ success came from their ability to communicate with another while pushing each other to improve, Hoxha said.
“For the past several years, we have had really strong doubles teams,” Hoxha said. “This has led us to a lot of success in getting players to the state tournament. By having strong players, teammates can always push each other to get better.”
Although the two pairs regularly practice together, they had to approach each other as opponents during the sectional final. The tournament featured the top two singles and doubles teams from nine schools, creating a competitive environment for both pairs, Sanders said. Because the players were familiar with each other’s strengths and weaknesses from practicing together, the matchup pushed both teams to perform at a higher level, Sanders said.
“In practice, we are always playing each other,” Sanders said. “It was different at sectionals because there was actually a drive to win. When we came off of the court, our coach said that was probably the best she had ever seen us play each other.”
While doubles matches require players to rely on their partner, tennis also allows athletes to compete individually. During the school season, players focus more on contributing to the overall team, while club tennis emphasizes individual competition, Donnelly said.
“I feel like I’m representing myself on the court, but at the same time, I also feel like I am representing the team as a whole,” Donnelly said.
