The ball soars across the court and over the net at 100 mph as senior Anay Bhakta serves with power that has been crafted from hours of practice. Despite the team having an overall record of 3-5, the tennis team still produced a successful season; they improved their game mentally and physically by battling through tough matches and practices.
“This year, tennis has taught me discipline and leadership. It also has taught me how to stay committed even when things get hard,” Bhakta said. “Tennis showed me that you’re always going to see a decline in your game, but you have to rebound, keep working harder, keep your head down and eventually you’ll get better.”
Senior Jude Butler focuses on improving his mental game and building friendships with the people he played with.
“Tennis is more of a mental game than a physical game, so it’s important that I keep my mental game strong,” Butler said. “To keep me focused on the match, I try to forget about the bad or missed points, and that helps me with the mental part of the game.”
The team also works on the teamwork side of the game this season. They build strong relationships that help players play to the best of their ability.
“This year tennis has helped me build strong relationships with the community. Some of my favorite moments from practice were being able to create friendships and build bonds,” Butler said.
One of the team’s toughest matches of the season came against Colleyville Heritage; the team was unable to pull out the win against a great team despite their best efforts.
“We lost because they are a very good team; it was not our best result, but we always try to bounce back,” Bhakta said.
Bhakta trained for four years to improve his game and still faces tough opponents and challenges, yet he continues to persevere because it’s the sport he loves.
“When I’m playing, I feel like all my problems wash away. It’s very relaxing for me when I’m only locked in on tennis and I can’t think of anything else,” Bhakta said.
