Mayo tennis 'family' headed to state for the 25th time in 26 years

Oct. 11—ROCHESTER — It helps to come from a tennis family.

It also helps to come from a school tennis program that Mayo girls coach Jeff Demaray describes as a second family for so many of his players.

Spartans junior Nandini Iyer has been the beneficiary of all of that "family" influence. The standout doubles and singles player's older brother is Varun Iyer, a 2019 Century graduate who finished second at state in singles as a senior and now plays on the University of Minnesota's club team.

Varun has been a constant tennis aid to Nandini, on and off the court. That included Varun slipping away with Nandini this past August while the two of them and their parents were vacationing at Yellowstone National Park. More than once, they bid adieu to the park's beauty to hit tennis balls, Varun readying Nandini for this season.

"Tennis has been a big part of our family's lives," said Nandini, who along with Mayo doubles pattern Audrey Aney and so many other contributors helped the Spartans to the Section 1AA championship on Tuesday at the Rochester Athletic Club. After beating Winona 7-0 in the semifinals, No. 3-ranked Mayo rolled past No. 6-Lakeville South by that same shutout score in the championship.

Iyer and Aney easily won both of their matches.

"Varun hits with me a lot," Nandini said. "When I ask him, he usually says yes. He helps me with my playing and also my mental game. He tells me to call down and brush it off and move on when I lose a point."

When Nandini isn't getting tennis help from her brother, it's coming from her parents. They've been a constant in making sure she gets to tennis lessons year round and as well as have driven her from one tennis tournament to the next.

"Tennis has been a big part of my family's life," Iyer said.

As vital as the actual Iyer family has been to Nandini, she is also indebted to that other family of hers — her Mayo tennis family.

The Iyer's moved from the north side of Rochester to the south side in 2016. That landed her with a bunch of friends she already had from that side of town. It also eventually landed her at Mayo, where she's grown deep connections with the Spartans tennis players.

"We are very tight," said Iyer, who has played doubles and singles for Mayo through the years. "We get along great. We've all known each other since we were young and were taking group tennis lessons together."

Besides being a get-along bunch, this is a powerful crew. The Spartans are 18-3, with their only losses to No. 1-ranked Minnetonka (twice) and No. 2 Edina.

Iyer would like another crack at one of those teams — or both — in the state tournament. She believes this could still be a state championship year for her team. And if it doesn't happen this season, she loves her Spartans' chances next year with them graduating just two players from this edition.

"I feel really good about our team right now," Iyer said. "I feel like we are playing our best tennis of the year. I'm proud of how far our team has come and how hard we've worked. I think we could beat Edina or Minnetonka. We just have to stay focused and stay calm."

Mayo has a breathtaking statistics going for it, reflecting its staying power. Starting with a section title in 1997, the Spartans have won their section and advanced to state 25 of the last 26 years.

Demaray has been either the head or assistant Mayo coach the entire time. But he is taking little credit for this dynasty.

"You have to tip your hat to the players and their families through the years," he said. "We are a tennis family here at Mayo. And it is the players and their families who put in all of the time on tennis in the off-season. They strive to improve in tennis every day, and that's what it takes. They get the credit."

After watching his team perform Tuesday, Demaray was galvanized. He loved what he witnessed.

"We competed extremely well today," he said. "That's all that I can ask, that we treat each point like it is our last point. There was 100 percent effort. I was really impressed."

Tuesday marked the return of Mayo's best player, Claire Loftus. The sophomore and No. 1-singles player, who's ranked sixth in the state, had missed the last three weeks with an "overuse" injury to her right wrist.

Loftus said sitting out for that stretch was just the thing. She felt no pain in either of her matches Tuesday, both of them 6-0, 6-0 wins.

"I feel fine now," she said. "The way I felt today, you'd never have known I was ever injured. But I'm really glad to be back and able to help our team to a victory."

Now, she wants more.

"I'm feeling pretty confident going into state," she said. "I feel like we can compete with the best teams in the state."

SEMIFINALS

Mayo 7, Winona 0

Singles: Claire Loftus (M) def. Molly Heinert 6-0, 6-0; Aoife Loftus (M) def. Adele Jacobson 6-0, 6-0; Keely Ryder (M) def. Julia Reeck n 6-0, 6-0; Ana Medina (M) def. Jaida Oudel 6 — 0, 6-0. Doubles: Nandini Iyer/Audrey Aney (M) def. Marissa McNally/Anna Bricco 6-2, 6-0; Malea Diehn/Taylor Hill (M) def. Josie Gundersen/Velaina Kiesel 6-0, 6-0; Jordan Ruskell/Ella Dozois def. Lauren Steinfeldt/Brianna Styba 6-1, 6-2.

Lakeville South 5, Lakeville North 2

FINAL

Mayo 7, Lakeville South 0

Singles: C. Loftus (M) def. Reese Burton 6-0, 6-0; A. Loftus (M) def. Michaella Sullivan 6-3, 6-2; Ryder (M) def. Elizabeth Payne 6-4, 6-1; Medina (M) def. Nicole McKinney 6-0, 6-0. Doubles: Iyer/Aney (M) def. Macy Glad/Olivia Walker 6-2, 6-0; Diehn/Hill (M) def. Mia Kubly/Kate Clark 6-1, 6-0; RuskellDozois (M) def. Eva Welsch/Brianna Brula 6-4, 7-6 (7-5).