Match Point

The wheeler boys tennis team is a tight-knit group of boys who have played together for a long time. The captains this year are seniors Dev Patel and Joe Thottungal and the coaches are the calculus teacher Dr. Ice and her husband Coach Ron. This year’s tennis team is probably the best they have ever had. They recently got second place at the Warriors Tournament and at a tournament in La Grange this past week and Kyle Ha (junior) won county player of the week two weeks ago.

When interviewing the captains they said they joined because they have been playing since they were in the womb and they had a lot of friends on the team already. Their favorite thing about tennis is that they love to win and they like that it is an individual sport with singles while also a team sport with doubles. They also said their favorite teammates on the team were each other and that their favorite pro tennis players are Roger Federer and Djokovic. Joe’s favorite memory while being on the tennis team was when he went to La Grange (an overnight tournament) in his junior year and how fun it was to play and hang out with his teammates the whole weekend. Dev said his favorite memories are all the rides to and from the tournaments, especially after the tournament because he says “the vibes are immaculate”.

When interviewing the other seniors on the team Gautam Krishnan and Yashas said they joined the tennis team because it was fun and they wanted to improve their skills and become the very best. The things they like about tennis are that it’s fun, their friends play, and you’re always moving in the sport. Gautam’s favorite teammate is Dev while Yashas’ is Gautam. Gautam says his favorite memory is when he went to the Warrior Tournament and played the best he ever has. Yashas says his favorite memory was when he was horse-playing with teammates his junior year and he gave someone a little surprise. Gautam and Yashas also love pro player Rafa Nadal and want to be just like him.

Lastly, the manager of the team and also the newest member Kabir Maindarker and Rohit (Junior) were interviewed. Kabir said joined the team because he knew a lot of the players from the trenches and wanted to support them. He also said his favorite thing about the tennis team is seeing the players do their best and the friendships on the team. Kabir also thinks of the players as his kids and feels like a proud mama when they win games. His favorite tennis player is Rafa Nadal. Rohits reason for joining the team was because he loves everyone on the team and he loves their energy. His favorite teammate is Dev and his favorite pro player is Roger Federer. Rohit also says his favorite memory was when he used to steal sandwiches at tournaments.

In conclusion, the boys on the tennis team enjoy being a part of something greater than themselves and learning valuable life lessons. As they continue on their journey, they are determined to work hard, support each other, and hopefully win state this year.