Grady Anderson, Kai Backen first to ever place third at WDA tournament

On Oct. 7, Grady Anderson’s hopes and dreams were realized. Anderson and fellow senior Kai Backen took third place at the 2023 WDA Doubles Tennis Tournament, making them the first doubles team from Jamestown to achieve this since the move to the West Region.

Not only did they secure a commendable position in the tournament, but Anderson and Backen will also be representing the Blue Jay tennis program at the upcoming individual state tournament in Grand Forks from Oct. 13-14.

“Kai and I had planned to play together in the West Region doubles tournament right from the start of the season,” Anderson said. “Kai always said that if I came back, we would take our shot at doubles together.”

Their decision to play together proved to be a wise one. The pair convincingly defeated Minot North’s Peyton Opp and Colton Griffith in the second round, securing their place in the WDA quarterfinals with a score of 6-1, 6-2.

“Kai is a great partner because he excels at the baseline and keeps the points alive until I get an opportunity at the net,” Anderson praised. “Our existing friendship boosts our morale, and he never gets discouraged. A positive mindset and attitude can make or break a tennis match.”

Backen reciprocated the compliments, saying, “What makes Grady an extraordinary doubles partner is the chemistry between us. We never get upset with each other for making mistakes and we usually stay level-headed. Grady is also amazing at the net, knowing exactly when and where to go to make excellent shots while I keep the ball in play on the baseline.”

Their exceptional teamwork became evident in the quarterfinals. Although Anderson was initially nervous after losing the second set in the quarterfinals, Backen continued to uplift his partner’s spirits.

“I knew we could do it, but we had lost momentum,” Anderson explained. “However, Kai remained confident. In the final two games of the second set, we had the opportunity to hold onto my serve so that if we lost the next service game, we would start the next set with Kai serving.”

“Kai assured me that winning my service game was all we needed to do to secure the third set,” he continued. “And he was right. After qualifying and winning the quarterfinal match, we were over the moon excited. Since eighth grade, all we had wanted was to qualify together, and finally achieving that was simply amazing.”

Following their quarterfinal victory, the Blue Jay duo focused on preparing for the semifinal matchup against Legacy’s Drew Beasley and Caleb Johnson.

“Going into the semifinal, we knew we had a tough match against Legacy’s top-seeded team,” Anderson shared. “But we believed we had nothing to lose, so we planned to maintain our strong doubles play regardless of the outcome.”

Although they lost in the semifinals, Anderson stated, “We were proud of the tennis we played and the fight we put up, as the score was closer than when we faced them earlier in the year.”

Anderson and Backen then went on to face Legacy’s other doubles pair, Brayden Ruff and Cooper Miller, in the third-place match.

“The third-place match meant a lot to us,” Anderson emphasized. “Having already qualified for state made it easier for us to play with a sense of freedom and confidence.”

Both Anderson and Backen entered the third-place match with unwavering determination. The senior duo swung their rackets with full confidence in themselves and each other. The Jays secured the first game with a score of 6-3, while Miller and Ruff claimed the second game 6-2.

That brought them to the decisive third game.

“We were up 6-5 on deuce point, and it seemed like the point would never end,” Anderson recalled. “Kai fought relentlessly at the baseline to keep us in the match.”

“After Legacy hit the final ball into the net, there was a moment of silence as Kai and I looked at each other in disbelief,” he added. “The crowd seemed to share that same feeling. Kai and I ran towards each other, screaming and chest bumping, before shaking hands with the opposing team. The feeling of getting third place with your best friend is indescribable.”

“I wouldn’t have made it to third place without Grady and his exceptional doubles skills,” Backen acknowledged.

With their sights set on the upcoming weekend, the duo hopes to replicate their regional performance at the state tournament. Head coach John Ness and his three assistant coaches will be running the pair through doubles-oriented drills and fine-tuning their skills based on their performance in the region tournament.

Before this year, Anderson had only been to the state tournament once in 2020, as part of the entire Blue Jay team. Backen participated in the 2022 State Doubles Tournament with Luke LeFevre, placing seventh at WDAs and losing in the first round of state.

“This will mostly be a new experience for me as an individual,” Anderson remarked. “Kai will be familiar with the proceedings.”

“EDC tennis is highly respected, so I don’t expect anything to come easily with the increased competition,” he continued. “Our goal is to hopefully place, and I believe we can do it. We just have to continue playing our best tennis.”