Warm up is one of the most important parts of a tennis match. Warming up before a match helps the athletes to perfect their technique and increase their heart rates. Junior Josephine Fernandez begins by practicing ground strokes, which form the basis of a tennis match. All photos courtesy of McDaniel’s Photography

Not only do the tennis players warm up their ground strokes, but they also warm up their volleys and overheads. Volleys and overheads help to put away points at the net. “As a doubles player, volleys are an essential part of my matches. Being aggressive and consistent at the net is crucial playing a good match,” junior Emma Stephenson said.

Sophomore Lisa Zhou warms up her serves, Perfecting serves is necessary to start off on the offensive. In order to achieve an effective serve, players must maintain consistent tosses.

Sophomore Sherry Chen consults with her coach to discuss how to improve her game play. The guidance and encouragement of JV coach, Linsey Farroh, has greatly benefited her players during tough matches.

During a change over, freshman Bryce Winnestaffer hands the balls to her opponent, leading the match 3-0. “It always feels good to be leading a match during a changeover. The hard part is keeping that lead. It’s important to stay consistent and maintain mental toughness,” Winnestaffer said.

Freshman Halle Gordon prepares to finish the point with an overhead. Gordon was a player who went beyond the call of duty. “Halle always made an effort to be a part of the team and encourage her teammates. Oftentimes during practice, we would divide into two teams and play games. The losing team had to do some kind of punishment. Whether it was running or doing pushups, Halle always volunteered to participate with her teammates, even if she was on the winning team,” Farroh said.

As the match begins, junior Rosalyn Liou returns a serve. “The scariest part for me is returning a serve well because it sets the tone for the rest of the point. It’s really important to create an intimidating facade,” Liou said.

Between points, doubles partners sophomore Athulya Murali and freshman Shruti Mishra, high five each other. Sycamore tennis emphasizes the team spirit, so it is important for double partners to encourage each other after every point.

After a point, Liou and Zhou discuss strategies. In a game of doubles, teamwork and coordination is essential for success. Doubles partners must move together to ensure that the entire court is covered during a point.