Ava Khansari (12) and Crystal Chen (12) reached the CIF individual semi-finals for girls tennis . Khansari, who’s been on the tennis team since her freshman year, ended her CIF run alongside doubles partner Chen in the Open Division semifinals with a 6-4 loss to Canyon Crest Academy, Nov. 8.
Khansari said that because of the competitiveness of the playoffs, all the players were tense.
“The atmosphere was different,” Khansari said. “CIFs are a lot more competitive. I wouldn’t say it’s not as fun, but it’s definitely less friendly. People take it much more seriously than the regular season, so everyone is always on their best game.”
Khansari had little knowledge about her opponents prior to her matchups. However, through watching matches after her own rounds, she was able to gather a bit of information about her opponents.
“Each opponent got better the higher up in the rounds we went,” Khansari said. “The first few teams that we played, we didn’t really know them before the day of the matches, but we had a sense of who was going to make it to the final rounds when we saw the draw, so it wasn’t too surprising. We kind of had a sense of ‘okay, this is what we’re getting into.’”
Khansari said that persevering and staying motivated through matches is essential. During her third-round match against Canyon Crest, though she knew there was little chance of them winning, she still prioritized playing the best she could.
“I find it important to work our best even if we have the assumption that we’re going to lose,” Khansari said. “I believe in still fighting for the point even if it’s really tough, and being proud of how we played and putting our best effort forward.”
Chen, who’s also been playing tennis for her entire high school career, said that her and Khansari’s complementary strengths aided them on the court and allowed them to work collaboratively.
“I really love Ava as a teammate,” Chen said. “She’s super supportive, and in terms of our playing styles, we play really well together. I can hold my own at the net, but I’m not super great. For her at the net, she just puts everything away, so I can stay back and I can focus on finishing the point and not have to worry. That’s what makes us a good team.”
Having primarily played singles for her first three years on the team, Khansari said that she really enjoyed playing doubles with Chen due to the sense of camaraderie they built.
“Tennis can be super isolating because the crowd can’t talk or cheer during points,” Khansari said. “You’re by yourself a majority of the time, so it’s really nice having someone else out there with you.”
Khansari said that partnering with Chen has made the transition even more enjoyable. The partnership they have built is something she will treasure and remember forever.
“It’s so fun playing with her,” Khansari said. “She’s the best whenever I get upset, or if I keep losing the point she’s really good at pumping me up and reassuring me. If you have a good doubles partner, doubles are really fun.”
