Tennis | Round 6 vs St Aloysius’ College
In last Saturday’s fixture, Trinity was pitted against St. Aloysius’ College who were at full strength and capacity, proving to be determined and competitive opponents. This week the 1st IV continued to be under-strength missing a player, but the team still put up a courageous fight. The 1st IV were hoping to have a repeat of five weeks ago, winning closely 5-3 in sets. However, it was not to be. The first pairing, Dylan Guler (11WH) and Finn Taylor (9La) started off slowly, losing the first set 6-2. Out for redemption, the pairing came to life and started playing attacking doubles play. Capitalising on this, they went on to win convincingly 6-2 in the second set. The second pairing, James Kim (10Ar) and Angelo Shi (9Sc) played a clinical first set, claiming the win 6-4. But their opponents came back with vengeance in the second set, stepping up their games, resulting in a loss for Trinity, 6-2. At two sets a piece, the fixture came down to the singles, Dylan came out firing, dominating the court with his forehands and backhands blistering down the court faster than my eyes could keep up. He maintained his focus, and came out victorious, 6-4. Finn played some great tennis but was feeling a little flat and his opponent played well, leading to a 6-3 loss to Trinity. James played his game and tried to adjust but was put against a tough opponent, who maintained a high level of consistency and ran to dig every ball up and lost 6-1. Finally, Angelo played in fourth place and played well throughout the day but was undone by his experienced opposition, being defeated 6-1. Overall, although the Trinity lost 5-3 in sets, the fixture was positive as a whole and gave light to some promising talent and improvement in the future for the 1st IV.
The 2nd IV turned up to the Ashbury courts exuding power and confidence. In the doubles, the first pairing Max Knauer (10Ho) and Jayden Higgins (10He) played beautiful tennis and had convincing wins in both sets. For the second pairing, consisting of Sam Kang (9WJ) and Domonic Furfaro (9Ar), both played solid tennis, wiping the opponents off the court 6-3, 6-0. In the singles, all four players booked great wins against their respective opponents. Most notably, Jayden had his first-ever singles win in the 2nds and is to be commended for his effort, as well as his teammates for their strong support throughout the match. Ultimately, the 2nds IV team continued to play strongly and keep their successful run this season, winning the fixture 8-0 in sets.
Max Nguyen | Captain of Tennis
3rd and 4th IVs
The 3rds had suffered a narrow loss to St Aloysius’ College in the first round and were expecting another serious fight. This time, though, their opposition was hampered by the absence of two members of the team. The resulting forfeits made it virtually impossible for Trinity to lose, but our boys still had to prove themselves in the “live” sets: the two doubles matches and the No. 1 singles: Liam Ling (12La) formed yet another combination with Nikhil Kapoor (12Yo), while Daniel Tran (12Ta) teamed up with Nick Papadopoulos (11He). Both teams won convincingly, 6-1 and 6-2 respectively. Liam’s swinging serves and Nadalesque forehands were too good for his opposite number in the No.1 singles match, and so the fixture went to Trinity by the margin of six sets to zero.
The 4ths began as they would have wanted: two handsome doubles wins set the foundation for what appeared to be a straightforward overall victory. Indeed, Callum McLeod (12He), casting off his reputation as a human backboard, struck some beautiful forehand winners to triumph 6-2, while Max Guo (12Ar) utterly crushed his opponent 6-0, unleashing an impressive array of service and groundstroke winners. By way of contrast, Jack Vine (11Mu), looking for his sixth win in a row, was unable to stem a fightback from his opponent and had to be content with having contributed to a nail-biting 6-7 match. I was delighted that his adversary’s mother made a point of speaking to me to commend Jack on his outstanding sportsmanship. Kevin Zhang (11Ho) also had to be content with 2nd place, his unforced errors proving fatal in a contest in which he was not really outclassed, but rather just out-steadied.
The last word to both teams is: congratulations! You are all a credit to your School.
Ashley Lucas | Coach
10As and 10Bs
The 10As started off strong in their doubles, both matches ending with very close score lines of 4-6 and 5-7. The boys played very well, but unfortunately easy mistakes up and around the net cost the boys valuable points. The singles were a different story for Alex Gavrilovic (10Yo), Beier Chen (10Yo) and Mark Charas (10Ho), with all the boys going down quite convincingly. The St Aloysius’ boys were that little bit more consistent in rallies which proved to be the biggest downfall for our boys. Andrew Yang (10Hi) couldn’t hold onto his lead in his singles match; breaking two different racquet strings probably didn’t help the situation. Andrew did the best he could with tools he wasn’t used to, and he went down in a tie break.
In what looked like was going to be an even contest, the doubles started off quite close and evenly matched. Alexander Jacob (10Fo) and Oliver Highett Smith (10Hi) played very well together, going down 4-6 but showing off some amazing shots. Oscar Shen (10Yo) started off really strong in his singles flying off to a 5-1 lead, playing like he couldn’t be stopped but unfortunately changed his game at the most vital point in the game which cost him the set. A big well done goes to Jack Burge (10He) playing a super set of singles, hitting winners and playing out rallies with consistency and control he won the set 6-1.
Danielle Calvi | Coach
10Cs and 10Ds
It was a satisfying win for the 10Cs taking the day out five sets to one. Jackson Dumesich (10WJ) and Will Bryan (10Du) won their first doubles together for the season, the boys playing some really good tennis and winning the set 6-4. Will continued this fine form into his singles, also getting up 6-4. Lachlan Chung’s (10Ho) opponent did not stand a chance against this big hitter, and Lachlan won his set 6-0 with ease. Ty Garaci (10Ho) got off to a good start in his singles. Ty was leading 4-2 then let his opponent get back into the game, but he played well enough to win the set 7-5. Lachlan and Ty were almost ready to shake hands at the end of their doubles but once again allowed their opponents to get back into the game. Finishing off sets when ahead was a bit of a downfall for these boys over the weekend, but luckily some great shots in the tie break allowed the boys to get another win under their belts.
The score line for the 10Ds could have potentially been closer but due to an absent team member the boys went down one set to five. Ashvin Peter (10Ho) played well again, Ashvin has a really nice style of hitting but unfortunately hasn’t got that killer instinct to hit winners. Mark Gadalla (10Fo) played one of his best matches of the season. Mark went down 3-6 but is playing a lot more consistently and keeping himself in points for longer. Jonathon Liu (10) played a spectacular singles match, winning his set 7-5. Jonathon showed off some beautiful winners and consistent rallies which won him his match.
Danielle Calvi | Coach
9As and 9Bs
The 9As had a convincing win against St Aloysius’, backing up their solid performance last week. James Chan (9Ar) and Lawrence Hoe (9Yo) had a close affair in the doubles but managed to hold their nerve, closing out the match 6-4. Kavi Suri (9Yo) and Tom North (9Hi) also had a very tight match and looked like getting over the line, but despite some brilliant rallies, the pair unfortunately went down 5-7. In the singles, James continued his fine form, using his forehand to great effect as he dismantled his opponent 6-2. Lawrence also had a comfortable 6-1 win in his singles, his power proving too much for the Alo’s player. Kavi played out a thriller, showing great composure throughout the match. Unfortunately, he fell just short in the deciding tiebreak, going down 6-7. Tom, on the other hand, had no trouble in singles match, winning 6-2 in a dominant display.
The 9Bs also had a great day, winning five out of the six matches played. Beau Moller (9Yo) and Matthew Zeederberg (9Ho) made a fast start in their doubles, going up a break early. However, they had to fend off an Alo’s comeback and did well to win their doubles 6-3. Matthew Vickery (9WJ) and Charlie Scott-Shires (9Mu) had no such trouble in their doubles match, blowing their opponents away in a devastating 6-0 win. Not resting on their laurels, both Matt and Charlie posted 6-0 wins in their respective matches, proving too strong for their opposition. Beau had a nail-biting match. Up 5-3 and serving for the match, Beau’s opponent then produced a miraculous comeback to be ahead 6-5 himself. Keeping perfect composure, Beau then fought back to take the match to a tiebreak in which he was able to get up 6-3. Remarkably, the Aloysius’ player saved three match points in a row and got into a position to win the game. Now it was Beau’s turn to showcase the ice in his veins, hitting a brilliant lob over his opponent to save match point and ultimately going on to win 11-9 in an enthralling tiebreak.
Ritvik Dinesh | Coach
8As and 8Bs
The 8As played well this weekend in this round against St. Aloysius’, winning five sets to one. Nathan Tsang (8Du) and Christopher Lowe (8Ho) played well in their doubles game together. They were both hitting well but just need to try to communicate a bit more during points. Nathan was playing well during his doubles; he had some very strong serves that his opponents were struggling to return. He was hitting the ball well and consistently during his doubles but during the singles he would at times hit the ball very hard with not enough control and topspin. Otherwise, he was playing very well. He just needs to try to focus on placement at times instead of pace. Christopher was playing well over the weekend; his serves were consistent, and he was hitting some great groundstrokes and volley winners. Maxi Tsai (8Fo) and James Davies (8St) played well during their doubles match; the boys had good communication and were a good doubles pair this weekend. Maxi was playing very well this round. His serves and groundstrokes were very consistent as he kept the ball in play and hit many winners. He played very well in both his doubles and singles, winning both. The same goes for James this round. This is the first round where he has won all his matches. He played very well this round and it has been his best weekend thus far. He was consistent with his serves and his groundstrokes, playing well at the net and hitting some great winning volleys.
The 8Bs had a tough round against St. Aloysius’ over the weekend, losing six sets to nil. Matteo Larrota (8Sc) and Mitchell Bowden (8La) were playing well on the weekend. Mitchell was hitting some good and consistent serves and was also playing well at the net. He just needs to try to improve upon his groundstroke technique, and try increasing the amount of topspin and pace he puts on the ball. Matteo tried his best this past weekend. As usual, he was quick on his feet and was quick to the ball. However, he needs to improve upon his groundstroke technique and form so that his groundstrokes can be a bit more consistent. Travis Ng (8WJ) and Christian Laurens (8La), both tried hard this weekend against St. Aloysius’. Christian’s groundstrokes and serves this weekend were good at times and had great pace and placement. He just needs to try to improve upon the consistency of his groundstrokes by concentrating on the technique and form. Travis also tried his best on the weekend. As usual, his serves were good and they were consistent, but his groundstrokes need to be more consistent. He needs to try adding more topspin to his groundstrokes which will improve consistency and will help to keep the ball in play longer.
Tristan Kontonis | Coach
8Cs and 8Ds
The 8Cs boys tried their hardest to get the win over the weekend, but they unfortunately lost four sets to two. Grayson Doig (8He) and Leopold Vo (8WH) played well again together over the weekend, but they unfortunately did not get the win for their doubles. Although the boys lost, they still had good communication and teamwork during their doubles game. Grayson was playing well over the weekend but seemed to be struggling slightly during his singles match. During his matches he was hitting well at times and his serves were consistent. He will just need to try to improve upon his form so that he can be a bit more consistent when playing at the baseline. Leopold was playing very well over the weekend and won his singles match and came close in the doubles. As usual, his serves were devastatingly strong with his opponents struggling to return them, and he hit many aces over the weekend. Elliot Russell (8Fo) and Ravin Chowdhury (8Fo) tried hard on the weekend but they seemed to struggle during the doubles as they weren’t communicating clearly enough at times. Elliot’s serves and groundstrokes were consistent, but he still needs to work on his form and increasing the pace he puts on the ball. He also needs to try playing a bit more comfortably at the net, as he doesn’t seem to put the ball away given the opportunity. Ravin was trying hard to play well and get the win on the weekend but it was tough. His groundstrokes and volleys were consistent at times. However, he needs to try moving more around the court and improve upon his footwork. He also needs to work on improving his technique when serving, as his current form results in many double faults and very easy returns for the opponent.
The 8Ds played well over the weekend, winning this round against St Aloysius’ five sets to one. James Cicuta (8He) and Gabe Stavropoulos (8WH) played well in both their singles and doubles games. Gabe and James were communicating well during their doubles matches and they both played well during their individual singles matches. James played well winning all his matches this weekend; his serves were consistent, and he was quick on his feet. He was able to get to the ball fast and kept the ball in play. Gabe also played very well. His serves were consistent, and he was hitting some very strong volleys which resulted in some occasional winners. Benny Chen (8Du) played very well in his singles match over the weekend against St Aloysius’. He won without dropping a single game, winning 6-0. He had great placement and good footwork when hitting groundstrokes.
Tristan Kontonis | Coach
7As and 7Bs
The 7As had an underwhelming day against St Aloysius’, losing two sets to four (23 – 31). Khang Nguyen (7WH) and Noah Figliuzzi (9Fo), started off their doubles match very distracted on court, and were unable to play at their best. This enabled their opponents to grab the early lead and pull away with a win. Both Noah and Khang need to focus more during doubles and prevent further performances like today. Khang was able to regain his composure and pull away and grab a 6 – 4 win. Noah was not so fortunate, as a plethora of unforced errors and lack of mental composure forced him into a tough position, resulting in a 2 – 6 loss. Alejandro Molina (7Ke) and Hugo Newman (9WJ) fell behind in their doubles early in the set, and the lack of energy on court resulted in a loss. Alejandro played well in his singles and was unlucky to go down 4 – 6 as he was mounting his comeback. Hugo played superbly, winning his match 6 – 3 convincingly.
The 7Bs won equal sets with Aloysius’, but were extremely unlucky as they fell short by a single game to draw. Ishaan Sharma (7Ar) and Jared Arnold (7Ar) played a very close game of doubles, and given the tough conditions, were able to win 7 – 1 in the final tiebreak. In singles, Ishaan was unlucky on the day, as the lack of confidence to attack the ball resulted in many missed opportunities. This resulted in a close loss. Similarly, Jared was also unable to attack the ball consistently, which allowed his opponent to force errors from Jared, resulting in a loss. Ujwal Yadem (9Fo) and CJ Nguyen (9Yo) were too strong for the St Aloysius’ side, winning 6 – 1 very convincingly. Ujwal was able to attack the ball well and maintain consistency in his singles, allowing him to win 6 – 2. CJ was unlucky on the day, going down 3 – 6. However, despite the loss, CJ should look for the positives in his game to replicate next week, as well as examining the weaknesses in his game to further improve upon.
Edward Lai | Coach
7Cs and 7Ds
This week, the Cs and Ds performed much better against the St Aloysius’ side compared with last week. The Cs, having all players, were able to outgun the Aloysius’ side, winning a convincing six sets to nil, with a game score of (45 – 25). Similarly, the Ds played significantly well, taking the win five sets to one, with a game score of (30 – 14). In the Cs, Daniel Villate-Gallagher (7Ke) and Alexander Ren (7St) played a close game of doubles, trading winners and unforced errors. They were able to win 7 – 5, as they were able to maintain their composure. Alexander Kountouris (7Mu) and Gregory Kariatlis (7La) also played a very close game of doubles. There was a multitude of deuce games through which Alex and Gregory were able to pull through, helping them grab a 7 – 5 win. In singles, Daniel played much better this week, pursuing every ball and pushing his opponent around the court. He was able to find the winning edge and take the win 7 – 5. Alexander played very well this week, winning 6 – 2 convincingly. His consistent serves and solid groundstrokes helped him power through. Alex played his closest match in the season thus far, trading every consecutive game. He was able to keep his mental composure and win 10 – 8 in the final tiebreak. His performance was very impressive. Gregory also played a super match, winning 6 – 2 convincingly with his powerful serves.
In the Ds, Jonathan Che (7La) and Aakash Viswanathan (7Ta) were not able to play a doubles match due to Aloysius’ missing a player. Alexander Hales (7Ar) and Joshua Jeung (7He), continue their winning streak, further demonstrating their chemistry and, much like last week, were able to win 6 – 3. In singles, Jonathan played a close match, where despite the windy conditions was able to consistently hit strong groundstrokes, helping him win 6 – 4. Alexander played a tough match and was unable to push his opponent out of position. He demonstrated great effort, but was unable to come away with a win. Joshua demonstrated his abilities once again, winning 6 – 1. His groundstroke consistency has visibly improved and if he wishes to further improve his abilities, will need to continue working on technique during training.
This week was a great redemption win against St Aloysius’, having lost last week. All players performed very well today and should aim to recreate their achievements for future matches in the future.
Edward Lai | Coach
