hopkinton-independent-logo2x
Hopkinton, MA
loader-image
Hopkinton, US
7:44 pm, Thursday, November 21, 2024
temperature icon 44°F
Humidity 96 %
Wind Gust: 14 mph

SIGN UP TODAY!
BREAKING NEWS & DAILY NEWSLETTER





Senior-heavy HHS boys tennis among state’s best

by | May 30, 2023 | Sports

With eight seniors on this year’s roster and a wealth of experience up and down the lineup, Hopkinton High School boys tennis coach Mike Miller had the sense that this could be one of his better teams. Through the regular season, the Hillers lived up to the billing, winning 15 of their first 16 matches and earning a top-10 ranking in the state with the playoffs on deck.

“[Going] 15-1 overall, undefeated in the Tri-Valley League, for sure this is one of the best years we have had yet,” Miller said just before the final week of the regular season. “We lost a couple of key guys from last year, but we felt like we had the depth to fill those spots.”

Depth has been crucial to Hopkinton’s success this spring. The Hillers’ ability to put a number of players on the court who can compete has led to intense battles in practice and challenge matches to earn court time.

“It just makes our practices very competitive day in and day out,” Miller said.

In fact, Miller only recently settled on his doubles teams late in the season, even as Hopkinton was piling up win after win.

“They were all consistently getting better and getting each other better,” he said. “It was just about finding the right combination.”

Senior Lex Kaye earned the No. 1 singles spot and won his first 16 matches, including tough nonleague victories over the best players from Brookline, Wayland, Algonquin and Wachusett, in addition to the TVL slate.

In the team’s only loss against Brookline, Kaye still earned a victory, which was a lift for both him and the team as a whole.

“We didn’t win that match, but it was good to see the kids loosen up and start realizing that they can play with the top-echelon teams,” Miller said.

Seniors Adam Glace and Pranav Kapur have been the second and third singles players through most of the season, and both racked up double-digit win totals.

The doubles teams heading into the tournament will be anchored by sophomore Rishit Shekhar and senior Barry Wang along with senior Andrew Palacios and sophomore Ilian Glace (Adam’s brother). Senior Roberto Rossi also could figure into the mix, but he has been battling an injury, Miller said.

Hopkinton will enter the tournament as one of the top teams in Division 2, and while Miller said there are some talented squads ranked ahead of his, it will come down to who is playing their best tennis at the right time.

“These guys are looking forward to getting there, and they have battled some of the best teams already,” Miller said. “It’s going to be a tough tournament, and we just have to stay as focused and engaged as possible. I know they are hungry and they want to play more tennis.”

0 Comments

Related Articles

HHS boys tennis falls in state semifinals

The Hopkinton High School boys tennis team saw its memorable season come to a close Thursday with a 4-1 loss to Duxbury in the Division 2 state semifinals at Lexington High School. Pranav Kapur won his match at third singles for Hopkinton's only point. Hopkinton,...

HHS boys tennis

HHS boys tennis semifinal match postponed to Thursday

The Division 2 state semifinal boys tennis match between Hopkinton and Duxbury scheduled for Wednesday was postponed due to threat of rain. The match now will be held Thursday at 4 p.m. at Lexington High School. The Hillers are the fifth seed and carry a record of...

Adam Glace

HHS boys tennis reaches Division 2 state semifinals

The Hopkinton High School boys tennis team knocked off host Hingham, 3-2, on Thursday to advance to the Division 2 state tournament semifinals. Pranav Kapur won the decisive match at third singles. With the win over the fourth-seeded Harbormen, the fifth-seeded...

HHS boys tennis

HHS boys tennis advances to Division 2 quarterfinals

The Hopkinton High School boys tennis team edged visiting Nashoba, 3-2, on Tuesday to advance to the Division 2 state tournament quarterfinals. At first singles, Lex Kaye rebounded from a first-set loss to win 1-6, 6-4, 6-0. Adam Glace fell at second singles, and...

Adam Glace

Hillers boys tennis thrives during unusual season

Hopkinton High School boys tennis coach Mike Miller has plenty of adjectives to describe the 2021 season, including “unusual” and “crazy.” But, unlike 2020, the season actually launched and the Hillers have taken full advantage, winning nine of their first 10...

Lex Kaye
Key Storage 4.14.22