By Eera Bhagwat and Penny Nunes
Madyson Lee has been a dedicated member of the Westmont Girls Tennis program since her freshman year, bringing determination and a positive attitude to every practice and match. As a varsity player, she continues to work hard to improve her game, while supporting her teammates every step of the way. Read more to learn about Madyson’s experience with tennis and about what it looks like to be a part of the team!
1. When did you start playing tennis?
“I started playing tennis two years ago right before my freshman year.”
2. How often do you practice?
“I practice 5-6 times a week, every weekday after school with my team and sometimes with my cousin on the weekends.”
3. What’s your favorite part of it?
“My favorite part about tennis is the friends and connections I’ve made from it. With my singles teammates, we went through a lot of challenging matches together last year, basically all ending in losses. Because of this, it made us closer, made us push each other to be better, and ultimately, they’ve become some of my best friends since then.”
4. What are your goals for this season as an individual and as a team?
“A goal for my team is to win BVALs again and repeat what we did my freshman year. A goal for myself is to win more matches than I did last year.”
5. What made you or encouraged you to start playing?
“My dad was the reason I started playing tennis. It was a way for me to get to hang out with him and it is something we now share in common which has made us closer. He pushed me to keep practicing during my first few months of tennis even when I wanted to quit or thought I wasn’t good enough.”
6. What position are you? (or what event like doubles, singles, etc)
“This year, I’m singles four.”
7. What is the hardest part?
“The hardest part about tennis is how mentally draining it is to play. You’re constantly challenging yourself to be the best one on the court and every shot feels like it has to be perfect. When you start to mess up, it’s on you to figure out how to fix it because you don’t really have a team to back you up during the actual match. Tennis is a big mental game against yourself but I find it pushes me to be a better player than any other sport has ever made me feel.”
8. Do you have any pregame rituals?
“I don’t have a pregame ritual but before every serve I bounce the ball three times.”
9. What’s something most people don’t realize about tennis?
“I think a lot of people don’t realize how long tennis matches last. In the pros, they are playing for 5 hours straight, with a total of maybe 20 minutes of resting during that 5 hours. In high school, matches last around 2 hours of straight hitting by yourself with maybe 10 minutes of rest during the whole match.”
10. What keeps you playing?
“My cousin William is what motivates me to keep playing. For the last 6 months, he’s driven an hour from San Francisco twice a week to help coach me by feeding balls, practicing serves with me, and rallying. He takes so much time out of his day to come practice with me because he believes in me, more than I believe in myself. I keep playing because when I win it’s a win for the both of us and I wouldn’t want to let him down.”
For the past three years of her journey at Westmont, she has dedicated so much to the tennis program. With all her dedication, she recieved many rewards such as friendships, lessons, and memories that will last a lifetime. She will continue to play through her high school career and grow as an athlete. Thank you, Mady, for representing our school in the best way possible!