“We were surprised by how good we were as a team,” Sixth Form tennis team captain Arsh Aggarwal said.
For the first time in over a decade, the tennis team went undefeated for the entire regular season with a record of 18-0—the only team in the state to do so. They took down every team in the Inter-Ac twice with ease, to claim the Inter-Ac championship for the fourteenth year in a row. The team defeated Conestoga High School, the Pennsylvania state champions for the last two years, 5-2. The netmen finished with a record of 20-1, only losing to Germantown Friends School in the season’s final match.
Aggarwal found that focus allowed for the team’s success.
“If I had to attribute this year’s success to anything, it would be our level of focus throughout the year for every single match,” Aggarwal said.
Fourth Former Kaiser Zhao said, “We always fought for the last ball, and every single person on the court wanted it. Our team chemistry allowed for this.”
Fourth Former Max Olson had similar thoughts. “The team this year was the most connected team I’ve ever been a part of,” Olson said. “This was a big reason we were so successful this year.”
“In my four years on the Haverford varsity tennis team, I’ve never experienced a team environment as determined to win and succeed as this year’s team,” Aggarwal said.
These qualities did wonders during the season, especially in their match against Conestoga.
“Every single match could have gone either way. Their players were as strong as ours, but we wanted it more that day,” Olson said. “We set the tone from the start and [we] beat them badly, 5-2.”
The win against Conestoga was the most significant victory for the team. “It was the highlight of the season,” Aggarwal said.
Olson recognized that the team’s continuous success eventually hurt them in the final match. “Winning eventually became viewed as a right the team had rather than a reward. I don’t think we were as prepared as we could have been going into the state finals against Germantown Friends.”
The match had to be played indoors, which most players on the team were not experienced with, unlike those from Germantown Friends.
“It was a well-fought match. However, they wanted it more than us that day,” Zhao said.
Olson said, “It only came down to a few key points where they outplayed us. The matches could’ve gone either way. However, I can comfortably say that each team member gave their 100% effort that day though. Every team has that moment where they get outplayed, and it unfortunately happened to us at an abysmal timing.”
Under Aggarwal’s leadership, the tennis team has kept its head up for the next season. “One loss doesn’t define our season,” Aggarwal repeatedly told the team.
Despite the loss, the team’s season was still remarkable. The future looks even brighter. “The rising juniors and seniors are all strong leaders and have shown incredible dedication to the team, making it extremely difficult to figure out team captains for next year. Our two best players are both currently sophomores, too,” Aggarwal said. “It’s funny to say after seeing how successful we were this season, but the 2023-2024 will be the worst the team is for the next two years.”
Aggarwal and Sixth Former Graeme Herbert are the only graduating members of this year’s starting lineup. This number is low compared to other teams in the Inter-Ac. “With such a young core, the team will only do better in the following years,” Olson said.
“I expect us to bring home a state championship, more Inter-Ac titles, and to make a name for Haverford tennis and set the bar for the future,” Zhao shared.
Zhao also believes the team can make it past the state level. “We have a very young and deep roster that can develop into a national-level team.”
Expect the tennis team to flourish as the current players continue to improve. The team has the potential to do something extraordinary.
“We’re hungry for another shot to be the state champions next year and will give everything to do so,” Olson said.
