5 central Ohio storylines entering state tournament

Eighteen central Ohio girls tennis players will be competing for championships in the state tournament on Thursday and Friday at the College of Wooster. Among them is Bexley sophomore Amiya Bowles, who is undefeated in 34 high school matches and is aiming for her second consecutive Division II singles title. New Albany seniors Paige Cornelius and Richardlyne Francois are also seeking the Division I doubles championship after finishing second last year.

Here are five storylines to watch as the state tournament begins:

1. Upper Arlington sisters Isabella and Alexa Roth are excited about their trip to state. They have been looking forward to playing together this season and have been preparing by participating in doubles tournaments. Isabella typically plays first singles and Alexa plays second singles for UA.
2. Columbus Academy has a dominant team this year. Their five state qualifiers have an impressive combined record of 20-1 in the postseason. Yasemin Bilgin and Arya Chabria, the district doubles champions, have been particularly strong, winning several matches 6-0, 6-0. Tamanna Arya, the district singles runner-up, has also had a strong postseason.
3. Dublin Jerome’s Lydia Foster is making her third consecutive state berth. She is playing with her classmate Adayla Coakley, her doubles partner from last year. They finished third at district and also reached state in 2021. Foster feels more confident this year and enjoys playing with a partner.
4. Dublin Coffman has strong singles players in Lauren Burkett and Pritika Ghosh Choudhuri. Burkett is undefeated in the postseason and won her first district title. Ghosh Choudhuri reached state for the third time. Both players have improved their game and are ready to compete at the state tournament.
5. With several players graduating and changes in strategy, the state championships are up for grabs. Only Bowles has the chance to win a repeat title. Players like Shyla Aggarwal and Clara Owen have moved on to college and others, like Mallory Hitchcock, have made shifts in their playing positions.

Good luck to all the players competing in the state tournament!

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Jessica Roberts

Jessica Roberts serves up the latest in the world of tennis. With a love for the racket sport, she reports on tennis matches, player rankings, and Grand Slam events, ensuring readers stay informed about the tennis world.