2021 New York Girls’ High School Recap

All season long, Beacon and Hunter seemed to be on a collision course, destined to meet in the New York City PSAL “A” Division Championship.

And when the two teams did square off, it did not disappoint. It proved to be a tightly-contested match, with Beacon edging out a 3-2 victory to claim its third consecutive city title.

“We had a lot of freshmen and new players to the team this season, and they were new to the team because we didn't have a season last year,” said head coach Martina Choi. “Everybody played their role; it was a total team effort. If our singles players didn't win, it was up to the doubles players to do their part, and vice versa, and that's how it was all season. It was an exciting year for us, because we really did play as a team.”

The win was a true testament to Beacon’s depth. Natalie Bergmann and Nyla Ferdinand, who had been so good all season long, would drop matches at first and second singles, respectively, meaning that Beacon would have to win third singles and the two doubles flights to come away victorious.

It did just that. Naisha Rathi delivered a crucial win at the third singles spot, while Maya Joy Ollivierre & Mia Sarzynska played a dominant second set to win at first doubles. In the second doubles position, Anna Struthers & Patrycja Filonik would come away with the win, and Beacon had yet another city title.

“I couldn’t ask for anything more as a coach. The girls were easy to work with and they were all supportive of each other,” said Choi. “It was a really good experience for me.”

Beacon will look to defend its title once again next season, with a young core of players.

“I think we're going to have a strong season,” said Choi. “We have very dedicated players, and they want to do well. I'm hoping that, as they keep getting older, they’ll keep growing, and I know some of them play tournaments and events in the offseason. I think we can have another solid season, and I'm looking forward to the team we'll have.”

For the second straight season, Fort Hamilton is the champion of the PSAL “B” Division. The Tigers defeated The Scholars Academy 5-0 in the championship match to defend its title from a year ago.

“It was very exciting for us,” said head coach Muad Nagi. “When we got together in August, there was still some nervousness about COVID, but the girls got used to it throughout the season, and continued to put in the hard work. It paid off.”

The Tigers were led by its two senior captains, Angelina Bittan and Sevinch Rakhmatdinova, who played first and second

singles, respectively. The two leaders were instrumental not only in their play on the court, but setting an example for the rest of the team on how to prepare off the court, and put a lot of emphasis on bringing the team together.

“This year I promised myself to bring the girls together and through our get togethers, we all began to form a tight bond

with one another,” said Bittan. “Establishing good chemistry was my number one priority. The girls were okay being themselves, and that really helped us as a team. Our team became a safe space, and if anyone was struggling outside of tennis, we’d go straight to the group chat.”

Rakhmatdinova added:

“Before the season, Angelina invited the whole team over to her house, and it really helped us form that connection between everyone. The girls on the team really were all best friends, and we had so much fun this season.”

In the championship match, Bittan and Rakhmatdinova both won their respective singles matches in straight sets, while Isabella Veseli won her match at third singles. In doubles play, Barbara Carrion & Julia Aksamentova were triumphant at first doubles, and Isabella Tchij & Janice Li won at second doubles.

Fort Hamilton will now try to navigate next season without Bittan and Rakhmatdinova, leaving both a leadership void as well as one in the starting lineup. But the example set by the two of them will carry into next year and beyond, as the Tigers aim to make it three straight city titles.

“If the girls have learned anything from us, it is to show up, even on those days you really don’t want to,” said Bittan. “Show up and give it your all. I stressed that tennis is not a game where you can play halfway and get away with it. That is why it was so great to play with Sevinch. Some of the girls came on the team thinking they didn’t have room for improvement, but we taught them how to fix their form, hit harder, generate more topspin, and the list goes on. We wanted the girls to recognize how much potential they had, and seeing them improve made us feel like proud moms.”

At Professional Children's School, students like Kristie don't need to choose between their education and their dreams. Our individualized school schedule provides the flexibility our students need in order to balance their preprofessional and professional endeavors with their academic goals leaving time for both school work and competitions, tournaments & training. pcsnyc.org 132 West 60th Street New York, NY 10023 212-582-3116

continued from page 21

The first-ever New York State Team Tennis Championships were held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, and the inaugural event did not disappoint.

Eight of the best teams, four Large Schools and four Small Schools, in the state gathered in Queens to compete for the title of state champions. In the end, Byram Hills captured the Small School State Championship, while Scarsdale claimed the Large School title.

After Scarsdale defeated Brighton 7-0 in the semifinals, it advanced into a matchup against Long Island champion Syosset, who downed Bethlehem 7-0 in its semifinal. The two undefeated squads faced off for the state title, with each presenting the other with its most difficult challenge of the season.

“I knew Syosset was going to be tough,” said Scarsdale head coach Jen Roane. “Our girls have been challenged throughout the season, but not like this.”

The two squads would go back-and-forth trading victories on the various courts. Scarsdale jumped ahead early with Giana Marks defeating Alexa Brecher at second singles, but Syosset responded as Mia Silverman & Manami Wakazono notched a third doubles victory over Daphne Lutrell & Madison Lee.

Scarsdale would then get victories from Natalie Hu, who defeated Eesha Kaushik at first singles, and Maya Cukierman, who won a three-set match over Zia Mukherjee. The Braves of Syosset would win first doubles thanks to Rachel Lin & Alex Ho’s victory over Laura Mendes & Campbell Alin, and Liv Tiegerman & Sara Gao notched a second doubles win over Yelena Sahakyan & Maya Bora.

With the overall match tied at three-all, the state championship came down to the fourth doubles court. After squeezing out the opening set in a tiebreaker, Natasha Pereira & Kay Cottrell held on to win 7-6(4), 6-3 over Abby Glenn & Amanda Huang, winning fourth doubles and sealing the state title.

Scarsdale becomes the first New York State Tennis Team Champion, and finishes its season undefeated.

“They did a wonderful job putting this together, and it was a lot of fun,” said Roane. “It was nerve-wracking at the end. Every point counts, but it’s those last few that seem to be the hardest. It was a fantastic day, and I’m so proud of my team.”

“It was an emotional roller coaster. It was a great season,” said co-captain Lauren Mendes. “I’m not sure if we thought we could make it this far, but we did it. To be the first ever state champion is crazy; this is amazing.”

While Syosset’s historic season ends with a defeat, it doesn’t take away from the success it had throughout the fall.

“This has been the longest season we’ve had, and it’s been a lot of fun,” said Syosset head coach Shai Fisher. “They need a break, and some downtime to recharge. But I’m so proud of what they have accomplished. The seniors will still be part of this team as we continue throughout the offseason. I know these girls will continue to work hard to get better, and the goal is to get back here next season.”

Two of those seniors are co-captains Alexa Brecher and Alex Ho, who have spent a total of 11 years combined in the Syosset program as both joined the team as middle schoolers, and won’t let the final loss overshadow the great memories they’ve been a part of.

“I’ve grown up on this team, and it’s so sad that it’s finally over,” said Ho. “I remember when I was younger, I couldn’t wait to be a senior, but now I wish I could go back to seventh grade. This team has meant so much to me, has taught me so many life lessons and helped me discover myself.”

Brecher added:

“I am so incredibly proud that we got this far. I’ll always remember a day like this. Even though we didn’t finish how we wanted to. It’s a great accomplishment to get here, and I couldn’t ask for anything more out of my high school tennis experience.”

Scarsdale will now look to defend its state title next year. While Mendes is set to graduate, she is confident that her teammates can continue the Scarsdale legacy heading into next season.

“I have faith and hope that my co-captain Natalie [Hu] will lead the team to another title, and another successful year,” said Mendes, who is graduating this spring. “There is no doubt in my mind that this title can be ours again next year.”

Hu added:

“I want to take it one step at a time because there are so many steps to get to that stage in the season. I will make sure to continue to focus on creating a strong team environment and take it one day at a time. We will have targets on our backs next year, but I believe we will do well if we work together as a team to overcome nerves and expectations.”

In the Small School Championship, Bryam Hills met Friends Academy, and claimed the state title with a 5-0 victory.

Alyssa Margolin defeated Isabella Sha at first singles, Chloe Bernstein won at second singles against Teah Login, and Sydney Levy rounded out the singles victories for Byram Hills by posting a win over Ava Zuckerbort.

In doubles play, Jenna Kleynerman & Daphne Bernstein beat Taylor Overstrom & Rachel Na at first doubles, while Eva Shrayer & Lily Anchin were second doubles victors against Eva Sun & Ericka Na.

“It’s pretty awesome. When we started making the run, our community got into it, and I can’t wait to celebrate with them,” said Byram Hills head coach Mike Racanelli. “It’s an honor to be the first. We’re so happy to be in this position. There are a lot of great teams out there who fought to be in this spot, but we were the only team able to finish with a win. We worked hard and set out goals high. We knew this was possible. Great things come when you work hard, put your heart into it and stick together.” “This was the perfect way to end the season,” said Byram Hills co-captain Eva Shryer. “We worked so hard to get here, and to win the final two matches, and to have that title in our senior year is special.”

After a slow start to the season, Friends Academy hit its stride midway through the fall and rattled off five consecutive victories heading into the state semifinals. The Quakers

“We had a slow start with a few of our top players out early, but once we got going we were very competitive this season,” said Friends Academy head coach Owen Kassimir. “Coming in second in the state championships is a thrilling result for us, and I’m proud of the girls. I’m confident the girls will put the work in during the winter and come back even stronger next year, and we expect to get back to this point next season.”

Whether you want to be a pro or you just want to get moving on the court, this is the place for you! Join us at the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning today! All levels welcome! (ages 5-18)

The Team at the Cary Leeds Center invites you to CLC Camps! The team of world-class coaches welcome you to have fun, train hard, and improve your game. Play at the state-of-the-art Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning situated in Crotona Park, conveniently located in NYC.

nyjtl.org/caryleeds/programs/juniors/camps

1720 Crotona Avenue, Bronx, NY 10457 caryleedsinfo@nyjtl.org 718-247-7420

By Brian Coleman

At the end of 2021, Ashleigh “Ash” Barty had a number of accolades and awards heaped upon her. Barty finished the year ranked number one in the WTA Rankings, was named the WTA Player of the Year, and the ITF honored her as its Women’s Singles World Champion, in addition to receiving awards and honors in her native Australia.

“Being the ITF world champion in 2021 is something I am very proud of,” said Barty. “I feel fortunate to play the sport I love for a living, especially in a year that was challenging and unpredictable for so many. I want to thank my team and my family for everything they do and a huge thank you to tennis fans around the world for continuing to support us.”

Barty’s year was remarkable; she opened the year in the top spot in the WTA rankings, and stayed there till the end of the year, holding the world’s number one position wire-towire. It’s her third straight year finishing as the world number one.

“I am proud I was able to finish the year at No. 1, especially after the challenging and unpredictable season,” said Barty. “Being away from home for so long was really tough for not only me but my whole team, everyone made sacrifices which I’m very grateful for. We went into 2021 knowing it was going to be an adventure and it definitely was, I wouldn’t change it. Being the world number one is something I am very proud of, but my ranking doesn’t change the way I am. I try and be a good person and do the right thing, regardless of the number next to my name.”

Her decorated season saw Barty add another Slam trophy to her collection as she won Wimbledon, overcoming Karolina Pliskova in a thrilling three-set championship match.

“It took me a long time to verbalize the fact that I wanted to dare to dream and say that I wanted to win this incredible tournament,” said Barty, who also won the French Open in 2019. “Being able to live out my dream with everyone here, it’s better than I ever could have imagined.”

A few years ago, Barty’s accomplishments were something that probably only seemed possible in her dreams. As a young girl growing up constantly playing tennis and making it onto the pro tour, there came a time where Barty became disillusioned from the sport; she was burnt out, plain and simple.

continued from page 12

So following the 2014 U.S. Open, at the age of 18 and with her ranking outside of the top 200 in singles, she made the decision to step away from tennis, return home to Australia and find herself again.

“I felt like I got twisted and maybe a little bit lost along the way in the first part of my career, just within myself mentally and what I wanted to do,” she said. “I was very lucky to have a lot of success, but I’m still very much a homebody and I kind of lost my way a little bit with not being able to connect with my family. I even think I kind of got disconnected with my family in a way. We didn’t have the same conversation, the same depth of conversation. We didn’t lose that love or that care, but for me, I just kind of felt like there was a bit of a split.”

Barty went back to Australia to spend time with her family and reset herself mentally and emotionally. While there, she didn’t lose her competitive spirit, and began an interest in playing cricket after she spent time with the Australian women’s national team in early 2015.

She instantly showed a promising talent for cricket, and began competing in the Brisabne Women’s Premier Cricket Twenty20 league, before also playing in the Women’s Big Bash League. Barty was a good cricket player, and played in the WBBL through the end of its 2015 season.

At that point, Barty was ready to return to tennis, and do so with a revamped mindset and fresh outlook.

“I love the sport of tennis, but I sort of got a little bit away from what I really wanted to do. It became robotic for me and that’s not what I wanted,” she said. “It’s such an amazing sport and I just really wanted to enjoy it and I lost that enjoyment and that passion. I think deep down, I knew if I kept trying to drive throughout, it would drive me away completely. So it was the right time to step away and just refresh.”

That reset on her tennis career proved two things: one was that Barty is a dynamic athlete who can succeed at multiple sports professionally, but also that sometimes stepping away from something can help you regain your love for it. And for Barty, that love was tennis.

“I don’t even know if I’d be sitting here talking to you if I was playing tennis and I didn’t step away,” Barty said after winning the French Open, her maiden Slam title. “I needed time to step away, to live a normal life, because this tennis life certainly isn’t normal. I think I needed time to grow as a person, to mature.”

That growth has helped Barty transition from a promising young junior player who was struggling on the pro tour, to the best player in women’s tennis, a mantle she plans on holding throughout 2022.

Barty has always been known for

her variety and crafty style of play, using an array of slices and volleys to befuddle her opponents, but her serve has greatly improved over the last couple of years which has really helped bolster her game to where it is today.

In 2021, Barty won four titles in addition to her Wimbledon triumph, including defending her Miami Open title, the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, and the Yarra Valley Classic in her native Australia.

The Aussie will aim to carry that momentum into 2022 as she begins yet another season atop the women’s rankings. Barty’s season will start in her part of the world as she is signed on to play at the Sydney Tennis Classic as she prepares to play the Australian Open, which takes place the following week.

“I’ve still been training every day but have managed to have quality time with family and friends,” said Barty of her offseason. “I’ve been coaching my niece Lucy and a few of her friends every weekend which has been fun, seeing the smiles on their little faces when they play is what the sport is all about…I’ve been working hard on and off the court, doing everything I possibly can to get ready for January.”

Barty’s offseason has been a combination of training, but also quality time spent with her family. She even revealed that she is engaged, as her longtime partner Garry Kissick proposed in November.

Barty has now struck the balance between her family life and her tennis life, something she had been searching for when she decided to step away from the game all those years ago. She has multiple year-end number one finishes, and Slam titles in both England and France, but the question remains if Barty can win the Australian Open, and hoist the trophy in front of her compatriots.

No Aussie woman has won the event since Chris O’Neil did in 1978, but Barty hopes to snap that streak this year in front of her home fans, and the Aussie faithful are hoping they can throw a Barty Party and celebrate their champion.

Either way, Barty has carved her own tennis path, and has done things her own way in her career. Walking away from the game at the young age of 18 was no insignificant decision, and has potentially paved the way for other athletes, especially tennis players, to address their own mental health and make decisions that are the best for them.

Barty’s decision was clearly the best thing for her at the time, and it is paying dividends now. It remains to be seen just how many more titles she can win, and how many more weeks she can remain at number one, but there is little doubt that Barty has already left a profound impact on the sport of tennis.

Brian Coleman is the Senior Editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached at brianc@usptennis.com.