Sussex Academy girls’ tennis rattles off three wins in a row

With a 5-0 victory over Milford April 29, the Sussex Academy girls’ tennis team has reached the .500 mark and extended its winning streak to three games. 

The girls played alongside the boys in their second-to-last dual match of the season.

“I really do like when boys and girls are playing together; it improves the atmosphere so much, and I like to be able to see how the boys are doing as it's happening,” said junior Karina Lopez. “I'm someone that always performs better when I know that there are more people watching me, so it definitely helps me play better as well. Even though it does take a little bit longer, I don't mind it because I just like to be all together.” 

Lopez picked up her point with duplicate 6-0 wins over a cheerful Porsha Hood, who kept a smile on her face no matter what the score was. In second singles, Priya Haldar pulled through with a 6-0, 6-2 win, despite nursing a wrist injury that forced the junior to serve underhand against Saanvi Patel. Rounding out the singles, eighth-grader Macy Wheatley, who also smiles throughout the trials and tribulations of a match, picked up both of her sets with 6-0 wins.

“My forehands were doing really good today, and I also had some pretty good backhands,” Wheatley said.

Securing the shutout, the dynamic duo of Gia Berberian and Natalia Gatti won back-to-back sets 6-1. Both girls are relentlessly positive with one another and are so in sync that they will often do the same warm-ups before serves.

Sussex Academy took on Smyrna at home after the Cape Gazette deadline May 1, and will close their season out with another dual meet, this time against Seaford at 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 6.