Though tennis is often a solitary sport, with all the responsibilities falling on the player, community is a vital aspect with match types like doubles. Senior Ayush Kodur credits the OPHS tennis team for not only improving his tennis skills, but also his character.

“The tennis team has helped me to become a better version of myself,” Kodur wrote to the Talon. “The atmosphere encouraged me to push myself harder and become a better person and player. It also taught me how to encourage my teammates and support them. I think tennis has definitely helped me grow more confident and taught me resilience and hard work.”

Eight years ago, Kodur picked up a tennis racket for the first time. After watching Roger Federer, a former Swiss professional tennis player, it inspired him to do the same.

“I was inspired by how smoothly he played and how he made the sport look effortless while still beating his opponent,” Kodur wrote.  

Now, as a high school tennis player, he has significantly improved on the court.

“My strongest skill on the court is definitely my net game, which is volleys and overheads,” Kodur wrote. “I felt like it naturally developed with the more tennis I played.”

In a match against Portola, the OPHS team won the game and advanced to CIF Division 1 Semifinals. Kodur credits the success to the camaraderie within the team.

“The team prepared for this match by putting in a lot of work in practice and practicing with each other even more outside of practice,” Kodur wrote. “After we advanced, the team was definitely at the highest point we had been all season, and we were all feeling proud of how far we had come. The team celebrated afterwards by dumping a full ice bucket with water on coach Nielson. Whether it was playing in the match or cheering on the stands for our teammates, everyone on the team helped motivate each other to get the win.”

When he is not on the field, Kodur utilizes time management to balance his intense academic schedule.

“Some hard classes I took this year were AP Physics 1 and AP Calculus AB, and I think they were hard because of the curriculum, and sometimes it’s hard to understand the concepts,” Kodur wrote. “Because some of the concepts were hard to understand, I needed to spend more time out of class practicing and understanding them, and tennis definitely took away time from that. To balance my life with school and sports, I use a calendar and plan my week before it starts.”

Though his high school tennis career is reaching an end, Kodur will continue to remember the collaboration and coordination demonstrated by his teammates.

“I think the teamwork skills from tennis will help me when I’m working with groups in college or if I’m working with a team at work,” Kodur wrote. “The teamwork skills I’ve learned will help me to communicate well with others and build connections. It will also help me to support and encourage others around me.”