FHSAA district tennis tournaments open for Northeast Florida: What you need to know

District tennis tournaments open this week. Schedules are those listed by the Florida High School Athletic Association and are subject to change.

Boys districts

District 1-4A

At Nease

Teams: Atlantic Coast, Bartram Trail, Creekside, First Coast, Mandarin, Nease, Sandalwood, Tocoi Creek

Dates: Tuesday-Wednesday. First match: 8 a.m. Finals: 8 a.m.

Notable: Year in and year out, this is among Northeast Florida's most competitive districts. Among the teams to watch for high placing: a young Nease squad, an Atlantic Coast team with a strong No. 1 in Marko Stevanovic and a Creekside lineup, led by junior Jack Walzer, that's more dangerous than its record might indicate. Tocoi Creek and Bartram Trail could also challenge.

District 3-3A

At Ponte Vedra

Teams: Beachside, Englewood, Fletcher, Matanzas, Oakleaf, Orange Park, Parker, Ponte Vedra, St. Augustine

Dates: Tuesday-Wednesday. First match: 8:30 a.m. Finals: 8:30 a.m.

Notable: The traditional power team here is Ponte Vedra, and with Grant Price nearly unbeaten, the Sharks are strong contenders to finish on top. Fletcher, the Gateway Conference runner-up, and Matanzas are also in the mix.

District 4-3A

At Jonesville Tennis Center, Gainesville

Teams: Belleview, Clay, Columbia, Fleming Island, Gainesville, Lecanto, Middleburg, Ridgeview.

Dates: Wednesday-Thursday. First match: 9 a.m. Finals: 9 a.m.

Notable: Zach Hyatt and Anthony Williams, both with double-digit singles victories on the year, lead a Fleming Island lineup that appears strongest among the district's locals. Gainesville, Lecanto, Clay and Ridgeview are among the other teams to watch.

District 2-2A

At Albert "Ray" Massey Park, Gainesville

Teams: Alachua Santa Fe, Baker County, Bradford, Gainesville Eastside, Keystone Heights, Suwannee, Tallahassee Rickards, Wakulla.

Dates: Tuesday-Wednesday. First match: 9 a.m. Finals: 9 a.m.

Notable: On paper, Tallahassee Rickards enters as the district favorite, with a 13-3 record. Santa Fe, Eastside and Wakulla are the top contenders for second.

District 3-2A

At West Nassau

Teams: Bishop Kenny, Fernandina Beach, Jackson, Paxon, Raines, Stanton, West Nassau, Yulee.

Dates: Monday-Wednesday. First match: 9 a.m. Finals: 9 a.m.

Notable: It'll be an upset if Stanton, the Gateway Conference champion crowned two weeks ago, and Fernandina Beach don't end up as the two qualifiers. Bishop Kenny is the main threat to the Blue Devils and Pirates, but already lost 7-0 to Fernandina Beach on Feb. 20.

District 4-2A

At Bolles

Teams: Bolles, Menendez, Palatka, Riverside, White, Wolfson.

Dates: Monday-Tuesday. First match: 9 a.m. Finals: 9 a.m.

Notable: At 11-2, with its only losses coming to Florida High and Episcopal, Bolles is a threat to not only win the district but make some further noise in postseason. Depth stands out, including Ioannis Economidis and Michael Zhang. Wolfson sophomore Jack Miller and Menendez senior Collin Beese are also players to watch.

District 3-1A

At Episcopal

Teams: Bishop Snyder, Christ's Church, Episcopal, Hilliard, Providence, St. Johns Country Day, St. Joseph, Trinity Christian.

Dates: Monday-Tuesday. First match: 8 a.m. Finals: 8 a.m.

Notable: The clear favorite is Episcopal, undefeated on the season after last week's 7-0 shutout of St. Johns Country Day, with a deep lineup behind No. 1 senior Ford Rachels. Behind them, it's a tight contest with Christ's Church, Providence and St. Johns Country Day all in the hunt.

District 4-1A

At Jonesville Tennis Center, Gainesville

Teams: Father Lopez, Gainesville Oak Hall, Ocala Trinity Catholic, P.K. Yonge, Seven Rivers Christian, Union County.

Dates: Monday-Tuesday. First match: 9 a.m. Finals: 9 a.m.

Notable: Union County, the one area team in the district, is a significant long shot. Expect P.K. Yonge and Oak Hall to place in the top two.

Girls districts

District 1-4A

At Creekside

Teams: Atlantic Coast, Bartram Trail, Creekside, First Coast, Mandarin, Nease, Sandalwood, Tocoi Creek

Dates: Tuesday-Wednesday. First match: 8 a.m. Finals: 8 a.m.

Notable: A big-time St. Johns County matchup could decide this one: Nease and Tocoi Creek, with No. 1 singles stars Kylie Kochis for the Panthers and Adriah Tongkhuya for the Toros, have starred all year long. There's strength up and down this district, and players like Creekside's Caroline Cooper and Sandalwood's Miella Matteo could also make some noise.

District 3-3A

At Ponte Vedra

Teams: Beachside, Englewood, Fletcher, Matanzas, Oakleaf, Orange Park, Parker, Ponte Vedra, St. Augustine

Dates: Tuesday-Wednesday. First match: 8:30 a.m. Finals: 8:30 a.m.

Notable: Ponte Vedra is never a team to ignore in postseason, and they're the favorites here with a deep roster behind sophomore Ashley Larger at No. 1 singles. Also in the mix are Beachside, led by Ava Hess and Olivia Pistryak, and Gateway Conference runner-up Fletcher, with a strong newcomer in Kaylee Munson.

District 4-3A

At Jonesville Tennis Center, Gainesville

Teams: Belleview, Clay, Columbia, Fleming Island, Gainesville, Lecanto, Middleburg, Ridgeview.

Dates: Wednesday-Thursday. First match: 9 a.m. Finals: 9 a.m.

Notable: Most likely, no one is beating Gainesville in this district. But Sarah Jensen, Tessa Wilson and their Fleming Island teammates have a real chance to qualify for regionals, with Lecanto as their main obstacle.

District 2-2A

At Albert "Ray" Massey Park, Gainesville

Teams: Alachua Santa Fe, Baker County, Bradford, Gainesville Eastside, Keystone Heights, North Marion, Suwannee, Tallahassee Rickards, Wakulla.

Dates: Tuesday-Wednesday. First match: 9 a.m. Finals: 9 a.m.

Notable: Suwannee enters with the best record of this district's local teams, but the Bulldogs have their work cut out to overcome favorites Eastside, Santa Fe and Wakulla.

District 3-2A

At West Nassau

Teams: Bishop Kenny, Fernandina Beach, Jackson, Paxon, Raines, Stanton, West Nassau, Yulee.

Dates: Monday-Wednesday. First match: 9 a.m. Finals: 9 a.m.

Notable: At 14-1 on the year, Gateway Conference champion Stanton is always a contender and enters postseason after wins over Bolles and Bishop Kenny. Depth stands out for Bishop Kenny, likely the biggest threat to the Blue Devils, with Madison Bolen and Bridget Sutter scoring significant points from the Nos. 4 and 5 lines.

District 4-2A

At Bolles

Teams: Bolles, Menendez, Palatka, Riverside, White, Wolfson.

Dates: Monday-Tuesday. First match: 9 a.m. Finals: 9 a.m.

Notable: Anything other than a Bolles victory would be a major surprise. Senior Katrina Kirov and Rafa Neel have been dominant at No. 1 and No. 2 singles for the Bulldogs, who have only lost twice. Expect Menendez and Wolfson to contest for second-place honors.

District 3-1A

At Episcopal

Teams: Bishop Snyder, Christ's Church, Episcopal, Hilliard, Providence, St. Johns Country Day, St. Joseph, Trinity Christian.

Dates: Monday-Tuesday. First match: 8 a.m. Finals: 8 a.m.

Notable: Traditionally, this district means advantage Episcopal. Ella Jane Eddy and a deep Eagles team have lost only three times this year and enter as favorites. Providence, paced by Claire Caven and Saylor Clough, and St. Johns Country Day are the main challengers.

District 4-1A

At Jonesville Tennis Center, Gainesville

Teams: Father Lopez, Gainesville Oak Hall, Newberry, Ocala Trinity Catholic, P.K. Yonge, Seven Rivers Christian, Union County.

Dates: Monday-Tuesday. First match: 9 a.m. Finals: 9 a.m.

Notable: Led by senior Jordan Hendricks, Union County brings a four-match winning streak into the districts. P.K. Yonge and Oak Hall enter as the favorites.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: High school tennis: Northeast Florida district tournament previews