Viz Varsity tennis started their season off right with a first place win at the Rockbridge Great 8 Tournament. Winning this tournament sets the year off right. When I was a freshman, winning this tournament with a new team made us feel invincible. Sadly, we did not have the opportunity to go last year due to COVID, but that does not seem to have slowed us down.
This year I had a new doubles partner. Sometimes doubles can get scary because you lose or win with someone else. Typically this causes a lot of pressure. The bonds I have formed through tennis alleviate so much of that pressure. My doubles partner makes me a better player and I am so happy that I get to compete with her. I will say that playing in the heat was absolutely brutal. Each match took more and more energy out of me and also got harder. Without my team, I would not have been able to get through that tournament.
A huge part of tennis is your team which is funny because it typically is an individual sport. When it comes down to scoring, you have to win at least 5 out of the 9 matches to move on. That means a win can rest on the shoulders of one person. This is where I will always be impressed by my team. They are fighters. But most importantly, we are family. No matter what happens, we win together and lose together. I would not still be playing tennis if it weren’t for my Viz team. They build you up when you think you have lost. You see, tennis is not only physical…it’s mental! It is so easy to get in your head, but having a team that believes in you tops all of that.
After the Columbia win, I know that this season will be amazing. Although we are in the hardest district and class, we have earned our spot there. It proves to our team that we are some of the best players in the state. Usually I would be more worried but with my team, I have complete faith in them. My team makes competing alone on the court feel like I have a city behind me. They are there to celebrate my wins, but most importantly comfort me with my losses.
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