With another season of spring sports drawing to a close, Lexington High School’s tennis teams reflected on their progress and highlighted some of their most memorable experiences. 

For the girls team, this season was unique due to the number of new players. Navya Manuja, a captain and senior at LHS who has been on the team for four years, explained that there were many seniors on the team last year, which opened many more spots this year.

“Having so many new people join and getting to know them through playing has definitely made this year special,” Manuja said.

While the girls team adjusted to a newer lineup, the boys team came into the season with a more familiar one. According to Lucas Dai, a junior and varsity player on the boys tennis team, the team’s lineup did not change much from last year, which allowed members to feel more confident.

“We already know each other’s games,” Dai said. “We’re already comfortable playing with each other.”

One of the girls team’s biggest challenges this year was playing against Winchester. 

“They are one of the best teams in the state and also the only team we have lost to thus far in the season,” Manuja said. “Playing them is a challenge, but it also pushes us to become better players mentally and physically.” 

Similarly, the boys team reflected on their biggest opposition and the satisfaction they found when they were able to find victory. 

“The biggest highlight of the season for the team has definitely been beating St. John’s Prep. We were missing our number one singles player, so it was definitely a huge moment for us. [The win] was special because we had lost to them two times last year, once in the championship final, and that was pretty rough. Taking this win and breaking their streak was really great,” Dai said.

In both teams, injuries also caused hurdles, but powering through each strike and each match was a true show of determination. For Dai, it was critical to persevere as he battled with knee and back pain through several matches.

“I had to power through some really ugly tennis to get the win. It was pretty painful, but I was able to overcome it,” Dai said.

Along with matches, both the boys and girls tennis teams reflected on the foundational sense of community between players, coaches, and rival teams that makes their experience meaningful. For example, on the girls team, the captains decided to pull a prank on their coach by doing a “Coach Chance” themed spirit day. 

“We all dressed up like her and printed out stickers of both her face and her funny poses she does while invested in matches. Seeing her reaction as we stood in front of her with our funny outfits and stickers was priceless,” Manuja said.

Another example of community-building was the team dinners organized by the boys team. 

“We had a really fun team dinner at [a member of the team’s] house, and then we also all went to the Arlington diner. I feel like those bonding moments really make the team connect,” Milan Castelino, a junior and varsity player on the boys tennis team, said. 

Other fun moments occurred on court, such as celebratory traditions following a victory. 

“During our match against St. John’s Prep, [one of our singles players] got a huge win over their player, and before winning, he told us to storm the court and pile on him, and so that’s what we did, and it was pretty epic,” Dai said. 

Throughout the season, players emphasized community building, friendship, and personal growth—whether physical or mental—as key aspects of their experience on the LHS tennis teams. 

“I have made some of my best friends on the team, and I really appreciate being able to share my love of the sport with others,” Manuja said.