District Tennis Preview: Wooster trio, Chippewa duo ready for next step of postseason play
She's back!
A week after dominating the court at Springside Athletic Club, Wooster's Ava Mathur will return to the Akron facility Thursday — this time with another state berth on the line. Mathur is hoping to make it to the Div. I state tournament for the third time in three years (2021 in doubles, 2022 in singles).
Mathur and the Generals doubles team of Alexia Kakanuru and Hailey Jung will take part in the Division I District tournament, which will run Thursday and Saturday.
Sectional Tennis Roundup: Chippewa, Wooster players qualify for district tourney
Fellow locals — Chippewa's Abby Sines and Izzy Lattea — will compete as a doubles team in the D-II portion of the district tourney on Friday and Saturday at Springside.
The goal for all five local players is a berth in next week's state championships, which will be held for the first time at The College of Wooster.
Here's a look at the district tournaments involving local players:
DIVISION I
Springside District
WHEN: Thursday (9 a.m.), Saturday (8:30 a.m.)
WHERE: Springside Athletic Club (215 Springside Drive, Akron, 44333)
AREA QUALIFIERS: Singles — Ava Mathur (Wooster, jr.); Doubles — Alexia Kakanuru (Wooster, sr.), Hailey Jung (Wooster, fr.)
WHAT TO WATCH: Like most players at this point of the state postseason, Mathur comes into the district on quite a roll. With 26 victories and having dropped just one game this past weekend in her sectional final victory over Medina Highland's Ally Haynes, the All-Daily Record Player of Year and returning state qualifier is poised for another strong weekend. The highest seed on her side of the bracket is reigning state runner-up Tess Bucher of North Canton Hoover, who would be a potential semifinal opponent, while Avon's Natalie Smitek — a state qualifier in 2022 — could be another player to watch in the early rounds. Players like Amara Brahmbhatt (Westlake) and Elena Fleming (NDCL) could await the local in a final-day match.
After a successful season on their respective singles courts, both Kakanuru and Jung earned the fourth and final district berth last weekend and will be tested right away with the Aurora team of Gracie Milano and Kamy Milano. Hoover's Addie Shell and Ema Papcke are the other seeded team on their side of the bracket, with Brecksville's Claire Martens and Sophia Liu and Avon Lake's Autumn Korey and Amber Korey also fresh off of sectional titles.
AT STAKE: Top six singles players and top six doubles teams advance to the OHSAA State Championships, Oct. 19-20 at the College of Wooster.
DIVISION II
Springside District
WHEN: Friday (9 a.m.), Saturday (8:30 a.m.)
WHERE: Springside Athletic Club (215 Springside Drive, Akron, 44333)
AREA QUALIFIERS: Doubles — Abby Sines (Chippewa, so.), Izzy Lattea (Chippewa, sr.)
WHAT TO WATCH: Sines and Lattea put together an impressive sectional tournament before earning runner-up honors this past weekend at Wooster. The pairing will look to continue that magic and earn their first state trip. Standing in their way is the Hawken duo of Bea Hardacre and Bella Hsieh in the opening round. Hsieh has state experience as she was the member of a doubles team that was fourth a year ago. A win will most likely put the locals in a battle against Whitney Miller and Sisi Nalluri of Canfield, who were winners of the Boardman Sectional. The other defending sectional champs on the other side of the bracket is the Hoban team of Campbell Miller and Kate Wenzlik, who defeated Sines and Lattea last weekend, along with Hathaway Brown's Summer Mu and Kate Miller — the latter helped her doubles team last fall to a third-place state finish.
AT STAKE: Top five singles players and top five doubles teams advance to the OHSAA State Championships, Oct. 19-20 at the College of Wooster.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Girls Tennis: Wooster, Chippewa players prep for district tourney
