The Poly boys tennis team has extended their strong start to the season, earning them a 6-1 record through the first half of the season, with their only loss coming in their most recent match versus Webb. The team has had a handful of sizable wins, cruising to dominant victories over many local teams.
Tennis, unique in that it is both a team effort and a personal endeavor, requires a blend of individual talent and collective industry. Poly’s boys tennis team has managed to find both in the early parts of the season. Led by an outstanding group of upperclassmen, including the dominant junior and Single’s 1 player, Daniel Zhang and superb senior Doubles 1 unit of Hadi Ammar and Luke Haenisch, the tennis team has excelled in a variety of ways. The doubles team has been particularly commanding in victory. The senior duo led the team to a victory against Rosemead High School, dismantling their opponents with 6-0, 6-0 and 6-1 in their 3 sets.
However, tennis is scored collectively, meaning that every player contributes to the team’s wins. The coaching staff and upperclassmen have been instrumental in building the necessary chemistry, generating team bonding efforts that include personal nicknames and pregame renditions of the national anthem. Senior and doubles player Nick Beiner highlighted the important role of the team’s tight-knit community: “The team chemistry is what sets this team apart. Our close relationships off of the court have contributed to dynamic and fluid play on the court. Having been a part of the program for four years, I can say that this is the closest we have been as a group, which has allowed us to experience success through the early part of the season.”
The team’s strong sense of camaraderie has made it easy for incoming players to contribute to the team’s point totals. A few notable additions to this year’s team include freshman William Son, freshman Jack Hoecker and senior Peter Ryan. Ryan’s success this year has been especially impressive, maintaining a 100% win rate despite having joined the team this year.
On and off the court, the Poly boys tennis squad is thriving. Relying on a special combination of joy and focus, power and finesse, as well as individual and collective strength, they have cruised through their early competition. The focus now is on maintaining their momentum as they finish their league campaign and head into the CIF playoffs.
