CVHS Tennis serves up success at district tournament

On April 12, the district tournament hosted schools from across the H.I.S.D., bringing together tennis players from District 21-5A. Matches were played throughout the day with athletes competing in both singles and doubles brackets.

CVHS boys and girls tennis teams competed at the district tournament at Westbury High School, delivering a strong performance in their season. They earned top places across nearly every bracket, showcasing their months of preparation and practice to pay off. Leading up to the tournament, players trained often with after-school practices and weekend scrimmages. The team focused on conditioning, coordination, and doubles communication to prepare athletes for the tournament.

CVHS walked away with three first-place finishes and multiple other placements. The Girls A Team, Boys A Team, and Mixed Doubles A each took home first place in their respective brackets. Boys Doubles A placed third after a hard-fought semifinal, while Boys Doubles B secured fourth. The results mark one of the most decorated district appearances in CVHS tennis history.

The official player line up for this year is the following:

For Boys Singles A: Alois LeCoz; Boys Singles B: Kavis Gugnani; Boys Doubles A: Thomas Keyes & Aadri Datta; Boys Doubles B: Andrew Lee & Samir Kassam.

For Girls Singles A: Risako Fujita; Girls Singles B: Rhea Morani; Girls Doubles A: Isabel Kamerbeek & Alexa Erkal.

“This tournament shows how far we have come,” said senior Daiki Sakai, a member of the Boys A team. “Everyone has been working so hard, and finally seeing it pay off is a great feeling. Everyone was really locked in and played well.”

Along with the first-place finish that the Mixed Doubles A team delivered, the Girls A Team finished the championship, dominating the first-place title, and earning their top spot with a composed and strategic run through the bracket.

“We went in confident but knew we had to fight for every point,” junior Isabel Kamarbeek said, who helped lead the Girls A Team to their win. “It wasn’t easy, but we supported each other and stayed focused. Winning felt so good and well-deserved.”

On the Boys Doubles side, Alex Keyes, a junior, and his partner Aadri Datta navigated a competitive draw. After falling short in the semifinals, the duo rebounded to claim third place in their final match.

 

“We kept our heads in the game,” Keyes said. “We’ve been teammates for a while, so we just relied on that connection and went for every shot like we had it in the bag.”

In addition to playing their best on the court, CVHS athletes were also observed showing good sportsmanship off of it. Throughout the tournament, CVHS athletes were seen supporting one another between matches, contributing to a strong sense of team unity throughout the day.

While many CVHS players were celebrating their medals, the competition wasn’t quite over yet. The Girls Doubles A team had to compete again on April 17, playing for another trophy to Carnegie’s growing collections.

Upon playing on April 17, Rhea Morani took home the third place trophy. This allowed CVHS to win the Girls Team Trophy and officially be namd at the Houston I.S.D District 21-5A Varisty Girls Tennis Champions!

“Going into that final match, I just focused on staying consistent and playing smart,” said sophomore Rhea Morani. “Winning third place felt like a strong finish, and it really a lot to help the team clinch the overall girls’ title.”

With regional competition around the corner, the players from the team are already preparing for their next challenge. “Districts gave us confidence, but we’re not done,” Sakai said. “We want to go further. I believe that everyone on this team has the potential and work ethic to come together and bring home the win.

Overall, the district win marks a high point in the CVHS Tennis team’s season, who showed their dominance on the court, and this season’s results further cement its reputation across the district.