Tennis Season Preview

 

Albany High’s girl’s tennis team is coming back strong this year despite the loss of four players to graduation. Last season the team finished second to Piedmont in league, beating St. Mary’s twice for the first time in coach Sue Ford’s seven-year career.

            “We hope to repeat coming in second,” coach Ford explained.

            Six seniors who have played throughout high school are leading the team: Elena Pan, Inbal Sarig, Janie Gu, Jessica Dai, Yuan Feng and Caroline Williams.

             “We have a strong singles group,” reported coach Ford. At the top of this category is senior Elena Pan, Albany’s two-time BSAL singles league champ.

            Senior Inbal Sarig and her partner Sarah Muse, a junior, dominate in the doubles category. The rest of the team includes three juniors, two incoming freshmen and plenty of sophomores for a total of 17 players.

                  Sarig exclaimed, “I don’t have time for it [tennis]! […] I like it though. They give us good food. The people are cool, I fool around with my tennis partner all the time.” When questioned about promising newcomers Sarig remarked, “[freshmen] Alex Brown and Angela Zhuo are great tennis players.”

            The team’s skills were on display at Albany’s home meet against BSAL newcomer Encinal. “Double-faulting is a sin.” Feng asserted.  Albany’s players won all singles and doubles matches in their first meet of the season. “They’re all good little athletes,” observed Ford, “we did well against Encinal.”

Ford also noted that Encinal is a team of beginning players versus Albany’s more experienced team. “I’ll be in the same situation next year,” she said with a smile.

                 The players themselves are already a well-bonded unit. “I think we’re too unique and silly to be put into words,” Dai

 

 noted. These powerhouse players are busy students and great people off the court. Clearly the Cougar tennis spirit is going strong.

                  The women’s tennis season totals 16 league matches. Coach Ford also hopes to play several out-of-league matches. Albany’s record so far is 6-0, with victories over Encinal, St. Patrick’s, St. Mary’s, John Swett, Holy Names and Salesian. The team has also won out-of-league matches with Pinole and Berkeley. Go Cougars! 

 

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