Arcadia High School’s (AHS) Girls Tennis team played against Burbank High School on Sept. 22. The Junior Varsity (JV) team played at Burbank, and Varsity played at home in Arcadia. Varsity beat Burbank by a wide margin, with the final score being 16-2, and JV also had a spectacular victory, winning 18-0. 

In each match, there were nine singles games and nine doubles games. Varsity won eight out of nine of their games, in both singles and doubles. Their team record overall was 6-1, and so far, the record for the league is 4-0. 

“It was a good win,” said Girls Tennis Coach Ruth Lagace, adding that “Our goal is to win the Pacific League and then do well in the CIF Division I play!”

In the past, Arcadia’s Girls Tennis has done well in both the Pacific League and CIF, so our Apaches can’t wait to see how well they’ll do this year! 

Freshman Kaarthiga Selvakkumaran,a member of the JV team, had an individual score of 6-1. For this match, her main concern was her serving technique.

“I think I can improve on serving and being able to hit the serve even if I can’t see it. I also feel like I was more consistent with my shots and I was able to detect her weakness faster than previous games I’ve played,” said Selvakkumaran. 

Although both teams had an excellent match, it was a hard win. The games were played in the mid-afternoon heat, with the highest temperature at 92° F. Moreover, Burbank High School’s (BHS) team has gotten stronger over the years, particularly in their doubles games, making them harder than ever to beat. There was also a lot of strain from the pressure that these athletes face. 

“I think the biggest challenge right now is the mental aspect of tennis,” said Selvakkumaran.“Every shot counts, and if you let it get to your head, it can really mess with your performance.” 

Nevertheless, Varsity and JV both had great matches and still won against their rival, BHS. 

Although pressure during the matches can cause mental strain, tennis also has its benefits. Selvakkumaran described one of these as the encouragement and feeling of inclusivity that comes with being on the team. 

“I really love being on the tennis team and playing tennis,” she stated. “I’ve never loved playing tennis more. I love the community and the support throughout the team.” 

AHS’ Girls Tennis team will have their next match on  Sept. 29, against Burroughs. Congratulations to Varsity and JV tennis for their great match, and good luck for the duration of their season!

Photo courtesy of Juliette Fang