Sophomore Michaela Chen gets ready to volley during her match on April 24.
Junior Nico Burns and sophomore Michaela Chen, two of three SCDS players who participated in the league singles tournament match on April 24, have advanced to the championship match and the section championships.
This tournament, along with the championship match and doubles league championship tournament, which took place on April 27, was held at Highlands High School. The section championships will be held on Thursday, May 4, and Friday, May 5, at the Oak Park Tennis Complex in Stockton.
During the tournament on April 24, senior Emil Erickson prepares to serve.
Senior Emil Erickson did not advance but earned the first alternate boys’ spot.
Burns, who is seeded first in the DIII Sierra Valley League, was pleased with his performance.
“I had a bye the first round and then won my first match (6-1, 6-0) and second match (6-0, 6-3).” Burns said.
He said his victory was due to his aggressive playing.
“I went for more low-percentage shots than I usually do, and I think the risk paid off,” Burns said.
Burns said he is excited for the finals.
Chen also won both of her matches (6-2, 6-0) and (6-4, 6-0) and said that these were some of her best.
She said her playing was pretty consistent, although she improved little by little throughout the game.
Her only regret, she said, was that she didn’t call out an opponent who gave a false score.
Junior Nico Burns serves in his match on April 24.
“During our first set, I was up, 4-2; then I scored another game. It should have been 5-2, (but) she kept arguing that she had won three games,” Chen said.
She said she decided not to make a big deal about the incident, and in the end she came out on top, despite the confusion.
Erickson, who didn’t place, said that he could have done better but is glad to have had the opportunity to play singles.
He also played in the doubles league championship tournament with senior Christian Van Vleck.
—By Anna Frankel
