First singles player Michelle Xu returns a serve, May 14. Not feeling well, she withdrew from the match during the second set after winning the first. (Photos by Lisa Aciukewicz)
Luise Tatarev keeps her eye on the ball in a third singles battle that was the longest match of the day at almost two hours
Under sunny skies and summer-like temperatures that hovered near 80 degrees, the Bromfield girls tennis players beat their Advanced Math and Science Academy opponents 4-1 in a home court match Tuesday, May 14. It was their penultimate contest of the season.
Second singles player senior Abigail Ames was first to finish, easily defeating Rachel Chennankara in their one-hour match, freeing the court for the first doubles team of junior Cassie Fisher and sophomore Khivi Nanra.
First singles player freshman Michelle Xu had a tough afternoon and, feeling unwell, forfeited her match after winning the first set and the first game of the second set. In the first set, Xu fell behind AMSA sophomore Saisha Kolluri 0-3, but battled back to win it 6-3. Before leaving the court, she won the first game of the second set after tying Kolluri six times before finally breaking her service to win set point.
The team won its remaining four matches 2-0. But some were markedly longer than others. With the first set tied 6-6, the third singles contest between Bromfield eighth-grader Luise Tatarev and AMSA freshman Sahasra Jangareddi on court 3 had to be decided by a tiebreaker, which Tatarev won by 2 points. While Tatarev dominated the second set, hers was the longest match of the afternoon, lasting nearly two hours.
The girls are currently ranked sixth in the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association’s ranking of the 61 schools in Division 5. The team is fourth within the six-member Midland-Wachusett A League, a geographical grouping that includes higher division teams.
As this week’s edition of the paper was being prepared, the girls were scheduled for one last regular season match at home against Division 1 Wachusett Regional. Next week the Central Mass. championships get underway, brackets to be announced.
Bromfield vs. Advanced Math and Science Academy, May 14
- First singles: Saisha Kolluri (AMSA) defeated Michelle Xu (Bromfield), 3-6, 0-1 retired
- Second singles: Abigail Ames (Bromfield) defeated Rachel Chennankara (AMSA), 6-0, 6-1
- Third singles: Luise Tatarev (Bromfield) defeated Sahasra Jangareddi (AMSA), 7-6 (2), 6-0
- First doubles: Cassie Fisher and Khivi Nanra (Bromfield) defeated Ava Daly and Stella Damoulakis (AMSA), 6-2, 6-1
- Second doubles: Nina Iverson and Zariya Ali (Bromfield) defeated Katina Galeis and Riley Whittier (AMSA), 6-0, 6-4
