Rochester Mayo tennis star perseveres, makes it a two-championship week

In a week filled with victories, both as part of the Rochester Mayo team and as an individual, Claire Loftus was feeling the fatigue. Determined to secure a state title, she knew she needed to be more assertive. Departing from her usual controlled style, Loftus aggressively attacked the court and emerged triumphant with a 7-5, 6-0 win over Eagan’s Cassandra Li in the Class 2A singles championship at the Baseline Tennis Center.

Throughout the first set, Li, the top-ranked player in the state, and Loftus, ranked second, traded the lead. However, it was Loftus who claimed victory by winning the final two games. Determined not to repeat that back-and-forth battle, Loftus adjusted her strategy in the second set, determined to win efficiently and conserve her energy.

“Feeling tired, I decided to change my game plan,” explained Loftus, who ended the season with an impressive 27-1 record. “I told myself to play to win and finish points quickly to save energy.”

Loftus dominated the second set, securing her second championship of the week. Li admitted she lost some focus after losing the first set, ending her season with a 29-1 record.

“I lost my confidence and became impatient in the second set,” she confided. “I didn’t believe in myself as much. I should’ve reminded myself to keep going.”

Mayo solidified their Class 2A sweep with Malea Diehn and Keely Ryder rallying from an initial loss to claim the doubles championship. They defeated Keira Kelly and Addie Bowlby of Lakeville North with a score of 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

In Class 1A, Breck senior Isabelle Einess had a nearly flawless state tournament. In the singles final, she defeated Leah Maddock of Osakis with a perfect 6-0, 6-0 score. This marked Einess’s second consecutive Class 1A state title, and she has remained undefeated for the past two years, boasting a remarkable 49-0 record.

“It’s unbelievable. My dad told me I only lost 23 games all season,” shared Einess, who plans to continue her tennis career at Seton Hall in New Jersey. “It’s hard to believe. It all came from putting in hard work every day.”

She attributed her state tournament success to her preparation.

“The state tournament was important, but the real groundwork happened during practice on and off the court,” Einess noted. “My dad always says not to focus on the end result, but rather on the day-to-day effort, which will lead you to where you want to be.”

In the doubles championship, Blake’s duo of Fatemeh Vang and Nana Vang emerged victorious, defeating Chloe Alley and Greta Johnson of Minnehaha Academy with a score of 6-0, 6-2.