Since he was 4 years old, Stefanos Constantinides (9) has always entered the tennis court with confidence. The home game against rival Canyon Crest Academy, March 26, was no exception.
“I started tennis because my mom really liked it,” Constantinides said. “I liked challenges and in tennis, I was challenged all the time because I always played against older, stronger players.”
Constantinides has primarily played and focused on singles in his individual career. However, when he joined Westview’s team, he injured his groin, which led him to shift his focus from singles to doubles so he would not have to run as much or strain his injury. Though it was not his first time competing in doubles, Constantinides still had to make adjustments.
Though the Wolverines started the match off strong, they fell short in closing out their last few sets. Ultimately, they lost against CCA, 10-8.
Constantinides, however, won all three of his matches with his doubles partner, Adith Nagarahalli (10).
Currently, the Wolverines won three out of the six matches they have played so far.
“I had to learn how [my partner] plays so I can adjust my play,” he said. “I’ve also had to remember that I’m not restricted to the single’s court boundaries, and that I can hit in the alleys in doubles. The most difficult thing was not hitting the ball to the player at the net because of [possible] poaching.”
Poaching, a doubles strategy where the net player aims to aggressively volley any ball that is within their reach, was a key play for Constantinides. Aside from his own game plan, Constantinides viewed the team’s general strategy as a step in the right direction.
“We were smart about how we set up the matches,” Constantinides said. “We gave good tips to each other and stayed strong as a team. Towards the end of the match, [we] just started to play scared and started pushing the ball instead of going for it.”
Channeling the same confidence he played with during competitive individual tournaments, Constantinides prepared himself for one of the toughest matches of the season against Canyon Crest Academy (CCA).
“I was feeling very energetic,” Constantinides said. “I was ready for anything to come my way.”
After having played Canyon Crest Academy for the first time, March 20, Constantinides developed a strategy for the home match.
“If I’m playing a tall player, I hit more at their chest because they would have to hit the ball down, which causes them to miss more,” he said. “If I’m playing a shorter player, I try to make them come towards the net so I can hit above them.”
When Constaintinides was 12, he became #1 in Southern California, playing tournaments almost every weekend against some of the other highly-ranked players. However, due to a series of injuries and having just entered the 15-and-under division, his Southern California ranking is currently #58. Despite the drop in ranking, Constantinides’s positive mindset never wavered.
Despite the team’s loss, Constantinides said that he enjoyed playing, talking, and exchanging tips with them; he also gained new insight on himself as a player.
“I’ve understood that it’s not just me playing, it’s the whole team,” he said. “I also understand that it’s important to help my teammates out in tough situations so we can be successful.”
By training for two hours every day and playing individual tournaments every weekend, Constantinides raised his Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) to a 9.55 in singles and a 9.20 UTR in doubles, making him one of the highest-rated players in the Coastal League.
With just a few league matches left until team CIFs, Constantinides said he is ready to finish the season strong.
“I look forward to connecting a lot more with my team, winning tough matches, and enjoying my time with everybody and having lots of fun,” he said.
