After volleying their way to the quarterfinals of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association state championships, the boys and girls tennis teams met their matches last Wednesday, June 5. The boys fell 3-2 in an away match to fourth-seeded Hamilton-Wenham, while the girls were bested 4-1 by No. 3 seed Lynnfield.
In the boys quarterfinal, Bromfield’s sole winner, Thaman Surya, won second singles in straight sets 6-2, 6-4. His opponent, Coach Carlson Beale said, was a play-and-get-to-net singles player, and Surya made sure to make that as difficult for him as possible. With lots of deep groundstrokes and passing shots, he was able to maintain the lead.
Thaman Surya connects with a solid backhand where he centers the ball on the “sweet spot” of his racket.
First singles player Tim Khuu lost his first set 5-7 but came back to win his second 6-2. He lost the third-set tiebreaker, however, 4-10, a rare defeat for Bromfield’s top player. The remaining members of the team—third singles, and first and second doubles—fared no better, losing in straight sets to their Hamilton-Wenham opponents.
Disappointing loss, successful season
The girls quarterfinal against Lynnfield could not have been closer, Coach Chris Holmes wrote the Press. With 12-6 records and near equal power ranking, the two teams were well matched.
First doubles player junior Cassie Fisher.
First doubles player sophomore Khivi Nanra (Photos by Lisa Aciukewicz)
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First singles player Michelle Xu was presented with a new challenge, Holmes reported: the first left-handed player she had faced this season. She lost the match 6-2, 6-2, but she had a breakout season, he said, becoming a top first-singles player in Central Massachusetts.
The second doubles match, however, went Bromfield’s way as senior co-captain Nora Clarke and junior Nina Iverson came back from a 5-1 deficit in the first set to win 12 of the next 13 games and the match 7-5, 6-1.
First doubles players junior Cassie Fisher and sophomore Khivi Nanra were also winners. Having beaten their Lynnfield opponents 6-2 in the first set, they were ahead 3-0 in the second set when Lynnfield’s girls made a strategic adjustment that proved very effective. Lynnfield won the second set 7-5, but in a back-and-forth third set, Holmes said, Fisher and Nanra were able to prevail 6-4. Final score at first doubles was 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.
With the overall match tied at two apiece, the action shifted to third singles. Bromfield’s eighth-grader Luise Tatarev was playing Lynnfield’s senior captain. Tatarev had won the first set 6-2 and her opponent had taken the second set 6-3. When the crowd headed their way, Tatarev was up 2-1 in the third set, and the match had already lasted more than three hours.
Both teams were excitedly cheering their teammates after each point, recalled Holmes. Tatarev was dictating play, but her opponent refused to miss. Rallies were frequently 10 or more shots long, sometimes many more. “Neither girl could ever get more than one game ahead,” Holmes said. Eventually they went to a tiebreaker, which Lynnfield won 7-5. Final score at third singles was 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) Lynnfield.
“While it was disappointing to lose,” said Holmes, “the girls played very well and ended the season with a very exciting match.”
“Overall, the season was a resounding success,” said Holmes. “It was very likely the best Bromfield girls team since the state finalist team in 2012.” Seniors Abigail Ames and Nora Clarke closed out their high school careers after having been with the program since seventh grade. “They will be missed when action resumes next spring,” said Holmes.
