Teamwork Fuels Hot Start for Varsity Girls Tennis

“Our biggest strength is definitely how supportive we are of each other,” tri-captain Nathalie Jansky ’26 said. “Most people think of tennis as an individual sport, but with these girls, it feels way more like a team sport. No matter who's on the court, everyone is watching and cheering each other on. Tennis can be such a mental game, so having that positive energy from the rest of the team really boosts our confidence.”

The Panthers aced the early portion of their schedule, notching three straight wins over UNIS (7-0 on September 5), Brearley (5-2 on September 10), and Léman (5-2 on September 12). Their lone setback came against Sacred Heart (NYC), 4-3, on September 17, but they quickly bounced back with consecutive victories over Calhoun (6-0 on September 26) and Hastings (5-2 on September 30).

“A key factor has been the strong mix of returning players, who bring a lot of experience, combined with new team members who have brought a lot of positive energy,” head coach Greg Lesser said of the squad's success this fall. “The team has meshed really well together. They are competitive and push each other at practice. At the same time, they are close with each other and supportive during matches. The team is really deep — one of the challenging things is figuring out the lineup because the top five or six players can all beat each other.”

Jansky, tri-captain Amara Kaur ’27, Mia Steinwurtzel ’26 and Clara Chu ’27 have shined at singles, while tri-captain Clover Graves ’27/Zara Murray ’27, Elly Raad ’28/Arianna Kiernan ’28, Rose Ritz ’27/Mirah Schwartz ’27 and Julia Barro ’26/Indigo Asseo ’28 have anchored the doubles lineup. 

Against Fieldston, Jansky won 8-0 at second singles and Steinwurtzel recorded an 8-3 victory at third singles to pace the Panthers.

“Our mindset and attitude were key in yesterday's match,” Jansky said. “Fieldston is a tough opponent, but we stayed calm and composed throughout each point. We also did a great job of reading our opponents, finding their weaknesses, and adjusting our play to take advantage of them.”

Masters will hit the road for its next match against Long Island Lutheran on October 14. 

Lesser said, “To keep the momentum going, we are going to keep doing what we've done so far; working hard in practice, playing tough in matches, and remembering that tennis is fun — and it is important to keep a positive attitude and enjoy playing.” 

For the Panthers, that sense of fun also extends beyond the court.

“We're planning to keep up our energy and consistency in both practice and matches,” Jansky said. “One way we'd like to do that is through more team bonding. We're planning a trip to the bowling alley!” 

From aces to strikes, the Panthers understand it's about doing it together.