Uni High boys' tennis one to watch this postseason
May 11—URBANA — Aryan Sachdev knows what the IHSA boys' tennis state tournament is like.
A senior at Uni High now, Sachdev has qualified in singles play for the last two Class 1A state tournaments. But he's the only one on the current Illineks' roster to have made the trip to suburban Chicago to play against the state's top players.
For Uni High coach Luke Bronowski, he'd love nothing more than Sachdev to experience his third state tournament later this month. With a handful of teammates joining him on the court.
"Aryan is a great leader by example," Bronowski said. "I wish some of the aggressiveness he plays with I could bottle up and pass along to some other guys on our team, but we have had a lot of players step up in different roles throughout the season."
Like Taehan Lee. Or Swapnil Kumar. Or Mason Miao. Or Kyle Fan. Or Shreyas Singh. Or Robert Gao. Or Collins Rosch. Or David Risinger.
"Our seniors in Mason and Taehan are working to make this a great season in their last go at tennis," Bronowski said. "They want to make it so Aryan is not the only player heading up north to state."
The Illineks will get their first chance to see how many of their players can possibly reach the state tournament next weekend when the Centennial Sectional gets underway. Uni High placed second at the local sectional meet last season, but are likely the favorites to win a sectional title this season given last season's sectional champion, Champaign Central, is now playing in 2A.
Along with Centennial, area teams Danville, Mahomet-Seymour, St. Thomas More and Urbana, plus Bloomington Central Catholic and Normal U-High, will comprise the sectional field.
"There is nothing that says just because Central moved to 2A that the title is ours," Bronowski said. "I know a lot of people want to do what they can to knock us out. No one is going to put stamps on us winning the sectional title. We are going to have to work and grind to get that title. It is a really strong sectional, even with Central gone."
If Uni High hoists some IHSA hardware in the air next weekend, Sachdev will be at the forefront.
"Aryan is playing some of the best tennis I have seen him play while here at Uni," Bronowski said. "He has had some nagging injuries this season, but I think that proved to be a benefit. It gave him the opportunity to get in some rest, and he is really hitting the ball quite well. Aryan is the type of player who doesn't outwardly make his goals known. I am sure he wants to make it back to state, especially in his senior season, but he doesn't make it a spectacle. He comes to practice or a match, does his work and pushes his teammates."
Uni High has matches with Maroa-Forsyth on Monday and Mattoon on Tuesday before it can turn its full attention to the postseason. But when the Illineks do, Bronowski is optimistic his team can make it a fun-filled two weeks.
"If we are fortunate enough to win the sectional title, it would be pretty amazing," Bronowski said. "I would love it for our seniors. I started with these guys during a COVID season and some of these guys I have known since middle school. I want it for them most of all. It would mean a lot to get a title and let them play a little longer together before graduation. That would be a memory of a lifetime for them, and I am just a lucky guy who is along for the ride."
