To prepare for their thrilling upcoming season, the Manhattan High tennis players spent their summer time practicing with their friends, and, as the new team, to get ready and become prepared for any challenges during their matches.

“Throughout the summer, I’ve actually been going out to the courts and just been hitting around with my friends,” senior Joanna Park said. “That’s just been really helpful on keeping my skills throughout the year before the season begins. We’ve also been doing a couple of practices with the team recently, so that has really helped with building up the dynamic and bond before the seasons starts so that we can start the season, and we can just take off.”

Three years ago, everyone who tried out for girls tennis got a spot in the team. But this year, there’s more interest in tennis from freshmen than the last few years. 

“It’s actually really exciting because the more, the merrier,” senior Kate McGee said. “I remember [the try out team] being super-small my freshman year, and seeing it grow into what it is now is really assuring, knowing that the history of tennis won’t be forgotten.”

While the rest of the team has been practicing for a well-played season, one of their top Varsity leadership cannot join them. During the 2018-2019 soccer season, senior Kira Schartz tore her ACL, preventing her from returning to the team as a player. However, Schartz will be active with her teammates by continuing to be the team’s manager. Park was a little disappointed that she lost her doubles partner but will try to find a new one during this season.

“I’ve actually found a lot of success with my doubles partner Kira,” Park said. “I’m really bummed out. It’s our senior year and everything. However, I know that I will also be able to find success while looking for a new doubles partner for me. I think just by the experience I’ve had, and since it’s my senior year, it’d really help me in succeeding at the state level.”

As the exciting new season is almost here, the tennis players are hyped and ready to do whatever it takes to make this season great with their new incoming freshmen. 

“I’m super confident, with these upcoming freshmen, I know our team is going to be really good this year,” McGee said. “I’m super excited to see all of these upcoming girls who have put a lot of work over the summer to get better and improve. I have very high hopes because I know they will go far this year.”