High school tennis: Here are 42 of the top Tuscaloosa area tennis players to watch in 2024
High school tennis season is underway this week in the Tuscaloosa area. Here are 42 tennis athletes to watch this season:
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Girls
Kameryn Browne
Hillcrest, Senior
Browne, the Patriots' top-seeded player since her freshman year, represented the North All-Star team in the AHSAA North-South match. She is the Patriots' all-time career wins leader and is committed to Coastal Alabama to play tennis and volleyball.
Emily Huang
Fayette County, Senior
Huang is a veteran for the Tigers who went 13-2 last year and qualified for the state tournament.
Carter Thomason
Northridge, Senior
Thomason is the backbone of the defending Section 4 champions and will serve as their top seed in singles and doubles.
Alice Rowley
Northridge, Senior
Rowley will serve as the Jaguars' No. 2 seed this season. Look for Rowley and Thomason to form a solid and experienced doubles team.
Alexandra Salekin
Northridge, Senior
Salekin made it to state finals in the No. 5 position last year and will look to build on that strong finish this year as the No. 3 seed.
Mary Wade
Northridge, Senior
Wade also made it to the state finals as Northridge's No. 6 seed and adds another veteran presence to a deep lineup.
Kate Thom
Northridge, Sophomore
Thom's coaches anticipate a breakout year in the No. 5 spot as she has had a strong offseason.
Savannah Dockery
Sipsey Valley, Senior
Dockery will lead Sipsey Valley as its most experienced player.
Morgan Dockery
Sipsey Valley, Sophomore
Dockery finished first place in sectionals as the No. 5 seed in 2023.
Jenna Whatley
Sipsey Valley, Sophomore
Ryann Danner
Sipsey Valley, Sophomore
Whatley and Danner round out Sipsey Valley's top players this year.
Allie Wagner
Tuscaloosa Academy, Senior
Wagner has been on the tennis team since seventh grade. She was a member of a state championship two seasons ago and will look to turn a lot of close losses last season into wins.
Sarah Miller
Tuscaloosa Academy, Junior
Miller has continued to move up Tuscaloosa Academy's lineup and is looking to become a force for the team this year.
Millie Hill
Demopolis, Sophomore
Hill has been on the varsity team for two years and will be the Tigers' top-seeded player this year.
Anna Rene Lewis
Demopolis, Senior
Lewis is Demopolis' third seed and is entering her fourth season of varsity tennis. She will attend the University of Alabama in the fall of 2024.
Francesca Muniz
Tuscaloosa County, Junior
Muniz has a consistent forehand and backhand and will lead the Wildcats as their No. 1 seed.
Lilly Smart
Tuscaloosa County, Freshman
Smart is a young player with a strong serving game. She will look to establish herself as a rising talent as Tuscaloosa County's No. 2 seed.
Tamia Brown
Paul W. Bryant, Freshman
Brown is one of the Stampede's most experienced players and is expected to compete for a top rotation spot.
Anjelia Carter
Paul W. Bryant, Freshman
Carter should find a place alongside Brown at the top of the Stampede rotation.
Mary Grace Maluda, Avery McMillian, Amelia Mills, and Madison Phillips
Northside
These four are expected to lead the first Northside Rams tennis team in 20 years.
Boys
Jonni Kneer
Tuscaloosa Academy, Sophomore
Kneer went undefeated in the regular season and was a runner-up at the Section 2 regional finals, finishing 9-1 as a freshman. He is rated as one of the top college tennis prospects in his class in Alabama and is considered a favorite to be a state champion this year.
Holman Bearden
Tuscaloosa Academy, Junior
Bearden is coming off a strong year with one loss during the regular season. He has improved his serve this offseason and is looking for a regional win.
Jackson Poe
Hillcrest, Senior
Poe had never held a tennis racquet before his ninth-grade year. He has developed into an experienced team leader who is committed to play college tennis at Marion Military Institute.
Griffin Armstrong
Hillcrest, Sophomore
Armstrong played as the Patriots' No. 1 seed as a freshman and has been a varsity starter since seventh grade. He is a defending sectional champion in singles and doubles and made it to the third round of the 6A No. 1 singles state championship.
Will Thom
Northridge, Freshman
Thom will play his second season as Northridge's No. 1 seed and is a key member of the defending Section 4 champions.
Tommy Rowan
Northridge, Junior
Rowan is returning as Northridge's No. 2 seed.
Paul Vise
Northridge, Senior
Blake Smith
Northridge, Senior
Vise and Smith round out a deep and experienced Northridge lineup as the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds.
Oscar Huang
Fayette County, Senior
Huang went 12-4 in 2023 and qualified for the state tournament. He brings strong veteran experience to the Fayette County lineup.
Didier Cruz
Fayette County, Senior
Cruz joined his teammate Huang as a state tournament qualifier and had a matching 12-4 season record, bringing more veteran leadership to a Tigers' lineup looking to return to the state postseason.
Davis Shelton
American Christian Academy, Sophomore
Shelton won the No. 3 seed sectional championship last year as a freshman. He will compete as the Patriots' No. 1 seed this year after a rigorous offseason program.
Alex Horn
American Christian Academy, Sophomore
Horn has less experience than the other top-seeded players at ACA, but his consistency and strong forehand should make him a formidable No. 2 seed. He and Shelton are expected to form a successful doubles tandem this year.
Cooper Allen
American Christian Academy, Freshman
Allen is returning for his third season and has worked hard during the offseason to improve his game. He pairs a strong serve with good mechanics and is expected to rack up a lot of wins this year.
Russell Baxter
American Christian Academy, Sophomore
Baxter is returning for his fourth season and will see a lot of action in singles and doubles. Baxter and Allen are looking to compete for a doubles sectional championship.
Ryan Reynolds
Demopolis, Senior
Reynolds is the Tigers' No. 1 seed and finished as the Section 3 singles runner-up. A fifth-year team member, he only lost three matches last season. Reynolds was also a member of the cross-country team in the fall.
Trey Pritchett
Demopolis, Senior
Pritchett will serve as Demopolis' No. 2 seed and has been a varsity player for six years. He plans to attend the University of Alabama in the fall of 2024.
Roberto Mendez
Tuscaloosa County, Junior
Mendez is a strategic player with a good shot selection who will serve as the Wildcats' top seed this season.
Caleb Rogers
Tuscaloosa County, Junior
Rogers brings versatility and experience to the Wildcats' team and will serve as their No. 2 seed. He and Mendez should form a solid doubles tandem.
Byron Tubbs
Paul W. Bryant, Senior
Tubbs is a team veteran who will play the #1 position in singles.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: 42 Tuscaloosa area high school tennis players to watch in 2024
