2017
BOY’S HIGH SCHOOL RECAP on to beat Adam Wilck & Tyler London 6-3, 75 to seal the title. “It’s my final year here, so I’ve had the three County Championships. But this is something different, something new,” said Samantaray. “It’s a great way to end it, to have both the County Championship and the Long Island Executive Cup.” Rounding out the doubles matchups was Josh Antell & Jeremy Levine of Syosset who came back to win 6-7(5), 6-3, 10-2 against HHHE’s Paul Rhee & Adam Stein at third doubles. Syosset’s Justin Oresky would win 7-5, 64 against Ethan Ertel at fourth singles in the day’s final match. Abhinav Srivastava came back to beat Neel Rajesh 3-6, 7-6, 10-6 at first singles for Hills East’s lone point. The Executive Cup was arranged by USTA Eastern Long Island, and the coaches and coordinators from both Nassau and Suffolk districts with the idea of ultimately bringing back the Long Island championship for tennis. The first installment of the Executive Cup was played last fall during the girls’ season, when
Syosset was crowned the 2017 USTA Long Island Executive Cup champions at The Hamlet Golf and Country Club in Commack
Abhinav Srivastava of Half Hollow Hills East during his win at first singles during the USTA Long Island Executive Cup
Friends Academy defeated Commack. “We knew that the sport needed it, so we worked together to make it happen,” said Mike Pavlides, USTA Long Island Region’s High School Representative. “This was the perfect way to pilot it to see if there was anything that we missed.” Since the final was played in Suffolk, it went by Suffolk County’s lineup rules of
four singles players and three doubles teams. When the championship is played in Nassau next year, it will switch to the Nassau County’s lineup of three singles matches and four doubles.
2017 NYSPHSAA Championship Recap Plainview JFK’s Solomon Captures Second Consecutive NYSPHSAA Singles Title Plainview JFK Senior Yuval Solomon became only the seventh player from Nassau County to win back-to-back New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Singles Championships, beating Sean Wei of Yorktown 6-1, 6-2 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. “I definitely wanted to defend my title, and I definitely wanted to join that list of the six greats from Nassau County,” said Solomon. “I just had to come out and play strong, serve big and take every point as they went.” He did just that.
As has been the key to his success over the last couple of years, Solomon snagged the early break in the final against Wei, for a 2-0 lead in the opening set. After consolidating the break with a hold, Solomon built a comfortable advantage and would go on to win the set 6-1. Solomon broke to begin the second set and quickly raced out 2-0. But Wei continued to fight and would hold to cut the lead to 1-2, and then won the first two points on Solomon’s serve in the second set’s fourth game. But Solomon would rattle off four straight points from there to earn the hold and keep Wei at bay. “He was getting confident, I saw that,” said Solomon. “It was really big to hold that game, go up 3-1 and keep the break. I didn’t want to give him anything to feel good about and get confidence from.” A few games later, Solomon to wrap things
up, fired his 22nd ace to convert on his first match point and clinch his second straight New York State Title. In the Federation Cup singles final, which pits the NYSPHSAA champion against the Public School Athletic League (PSAL) champion, Solomon defeated Beacon’s Ethan Leon 6-1, 6-1 in the final match of his high school career. “He’s outgrown high school, and is ready for the next step,” Plainview JFK Head Coach Nick Ventimiglia said of Solomon, who will be playing his college tennis at Wake Forest next year. “I’m most proud of the way he has grown emotionally. He was in the consolation final as a freshman, the State Championship as a sophomore and that experience counts for something. You have to have it solid all the way through. He’s developed that. That’s as continued on page 46
LITennisMag.com • July/August 2017 • Long Island Tennis Magazine
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