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Boys and girls tennis season has already started in Kentucky, and the boys are less than 10 days away from taking the court for real in Ohio (girls play in the fall in Ohio).
Plenty of hardware was won by Greater Cincinnati tennis players last season, on both sides of the river. Many of those athletes return in 2025, and some have graduated too. Plenty more hope to burst on to the scene this season.
Here are five storylines to watch in area high school tennis this season.
The answer to the question above is most likely extremely well, as usual. Covington Catholic is the two-time reigning team state champions, after all. The most interesting part will be seeing how exactly it plays out.
During Hussey's time at Covington Catholic, he was a four-time regional singles champion, a four-time region player of the year, and four times earned player of the year honors from The Enquirer. Twice, he was a singles state semifinalist, and last year, he won it. He now plays at the University of Dayton.
Hussey's younger brother Blake, a sophomore this season, will look to carry on his brother's impressive legacy. He should be a favorite in the 9th Region with his brother's graduation, after losing to him 6-2, 6-2 in the regional singles final last season. Hussey was the only freshman to make the state singles quarterfinal last season. Can he one-up his brother and win it all as a junior in 2025?
Not if senior Alex Yeager has anything to say about it. The two-time defending state champion in doubles will play first singles for the Colonels this season, according to head coach Al Hertsenberg. Yeager's running mate the past two seasons, Kalei Christensen, will play both singles and doubles this season.
Another strong Covington Catholic pairing, Jacob Kramer and Will Tribble, are just sophomores this season after finishing as regional runners-up and state quarterfinalists last season as freshmen.
It wouldn't be a surprise to see the Colonels haul in some more individual hardware and a third straight boys tennis team state title.
The Sycamore Aviators have won each of the past three Ohio Tennis Coaches Association team state championships in Division I. In 2024, they had two singles players and two doubles pairings make the state tournament, with Nicholas Choo and Chase Klugo winning a state title in doubles and Andrew Wittenbaum and Arjun Rajagopala finishing fourth, plus Nick Meyers finishing in third for singles, and Druv Kota making the state quarterfinals.
Of those six players who made the OHSAA state tournament, none return to Sycamore's squad. Five graduated, and another moved out of state.
Sycamore head coach Mike ***** mentioned a few players to watch out for on his squad, all of whom have been part of at least one of the Aviators' OTCA championship squads.
***** said that junior Andrew Mao has a solid all-court game and a strong work ethic. Sophomore Jake Farquhar is rapidly improving his groundstrokes and has a great feel for the game. Sophomore Abi Dinesh is a steady baseline player who doesn't beat himself.
With such a decorated coach as ***** and multiple players who have tasted state titles before, it's a good bet to say that Sycamore will once again be one of the best teams in Cincinnati. It remains to be seen, however, if this is more of a rebuilding year for the Aviators or if they have the fuel to make a pass at a fourth straight team title.
After claiming a doubles state championship in 2023 as a freshman, Dwyer earned more hardware as a sophomore in 2024, winning the OHSAA singles state title without dropping a set through the entire state tournament.
That said, it seems certain Dwyer will be among the favorites for the singles state championship for the next two seasons. He has a chance to become the seventh Cincinnati athlete to be a two-time singles state champion and the fourth in Ohio history to win it three times, along with Tony Trabert of Walnut Hills (1946-48), Clark Graebner of Lakewood (1959-1961) and Justin O'Neal of Lima Shawnee (1993, 1995-1996).
Dore, now a senior, was the only Cincinnati athlete from a school other than Sycamore or St. Xavier to qualify for the singles state championship tournament last season. The Springboro Panther won his first match at state and put up a great showing in his second, losing to the eventual state runner-up, Abhinav Dandu from New Albany, 7-6, 2-6, 6-3. Dore was the only player other than Dwyer to take a set from Dandu in the state tournament.
Dore will have his work cut out for him to beat Dwyer, who dominated the tournament as a sophomore last season, but he has a great chance to get back into the tournament and at least make a run.
There is a ton of talent across the Northern Kentucky girls tennis scene, but no player or doubles pairing was able to make it past the state round of 16 last season.
Cooper senior Kayla Johnson won the 9th Region championship last season but got a tough draw in the state tournament, matching up against the eventual state champion, Ellie Hammond, in the round of 16. Johnson lost that match 6-1, 6-2, but Hammond is now on the tennis team at Davidson College, so Johnson's route to a title is a bit clearer. Of the players who made the round of 16 in singles last season, eight have graduated.
Northern Kentucky's closest call in doubles last season was Avery Love and Niveditha Selvaraju of Ryle. Selvaraju was just an eighth grader at the time and Love a junior, so the pair should have a chance to run it back with the benefit of experience this time around.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Check out these five storylines to watch in Cincinnati tennis 2025
Continue reading...
Plenty of hardware was won by Greater Cincinnati tennis players last season, on both sides of the river. Many of those athletes return in 2025, and some have graduated too. Plenty more hope to burst on to the scene this season.
Here are five storylines to watch in area high school tennis this season.
How does Covington Catholic do without Brady Hussey?
The answer to the question above is most likely extremely well, as usual. Covington Catholic is the two-time reigning team state champions, after all. The most interesting part will be seeing how exactly it plays out.
During Hussey's time at Covington Catholic, he was a four-time regional singles champion, a four-time region player of the year, and four times earned player of the year honors from The Enquirer. Twice, he was a singles state semifinalist, and last year, he won it. He now plays at the University of Dayton.
Hussey's younger brother Blake, a sophomore this season, will look to carry on his brother's impressive legacy. He should be a favorite in the 9th Region with his brother's graduation, after losing to him 6-2, 6-2 in the regional singles final last season. Hussey was the only freshman to make the state singles quarterfinal last season. Can he one-up his brother and win it all as a junior in 2025?
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Not if senior Alex Yeager has anything to say about it. The two-time defending state champion in doubles will play first singles for the Colonels this season, according to head coach Al Hertsenberg. Yeager's running mate the past two seasons, Kalei Christensen, will play both singles and doubles this season.
Another strong Covington Catholic pairing, Jacob Kramer and Will Tribble, are just sophomores this season after finishing as regional runners-up and state quarterfinalists last season as freshmen.
It wouldn't be a surprise to see the Colonels haul in some more individual hardware and a third straight boys tennis team state title.
Will Sycamore stay on top?
The Sycamore Aviators have won each of the past three Ohio Tennis Coaches Association team state championships in Division I. In 2024, they had two singles players and two doubles pairings make the state tournament, with Nicholas Choo and Chase Klugo winning a state title in doubles and Andrew Wittenbaum and Arjun Rajagopala finishing fourth, plus Nick Meyers finishing in third for singles, and Druv Kota making the state quarterfinals.
Of those six players who made the OHSAA state tournament, none return to Sycamore's squad. Five graduated, and another moved out of state.
Sycamore head coach Mike ***** mentioned a few players to watch out for on his squad, all of whom have been part of at least one of the Aviators' OTCA championship squads.
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***** said that junior Andrew Mao has a solid all-court game and a strong work ethic. Sophomore Jake Farquhar is rapidly improving his groundstrokes and has a great feel for the game. Sophomore Abi Dinesh is a steady baseline player who doesn't beat himself.
With such a decorated coach as ***** and multiple players who have tasted state titles before, it's a good bet to say that Sycamore will once again be one of the best teams in Cincinnati. It remains to be seen, however, if this is more of a rebuilding year for the Aviators or if they have the fuel to make a pass at a fourth straight team title.
Carson Dwyer eyes another title, history
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After claiming a doubles state championship in 2023 as a freshman, Dwyer earned more hardware as a sophomore in 2024, winning the OHSAA singles state title without dropping a set through the entire state tournament.
That said, it seems certain Dwyer will be among the favorites for the singles state championship for the next two seasons. He has a chance to become the seventh Cincinnati athlete to be a two-time singles state champion and the fourth in Ohio history to win it three times, along with Tony Trabert of Walnut Hills (1946-48), Clark Graebner of Lakewood (1959-1961) and Justin O'Neal of Lima Shawnee (1993, 1995-1996).
Can Rishi Dore contend for state?
Dore, now a senior, was the only Cincinnati athlete from a school other than Sycamore or St. Xavier to qualify for the singles state championship tournament last season. The Springboro Panther won his first match at state and put up a great showing in his second, losing to the eventual state runner-up, Abhinav Dandu from New Albany, 7-6, 2-6, 6-3. Dore was the only player other than Dwyer to take a set from Dandu in the state tournament.
Dore will have his work cut out for him to beat Dwyer, who dominated the tournament as a sophomore last season, but he has a great chance to get back into the tournament and at least make a run.
Can NKY girls break through?
There is a ton of talent across the Northern Kentucky girls tennis scene, but no player or doubles pairing was able to make it past the state round of 16 last season.
Cooper senior Kayla Johnson won the 9th Region championship last season but got a tough draw in the state tournament, matching up against the eventual state champion, Ellie Hammond, in the round of 16. Johnson lost that match 6-1, 6-2, but Hammond is now on the tennis team at Davidson College, so Johnson's route to a title is a bit clearer. Of the players who made the round of 16 in singles last season, eight have graduated.
Northern Kentucky's closest call in doubles last season was Avery Love and Niveditha Selvaraju of Ryle. Selvaraju was just an eighth grader at the time and Love a junior, so the pair should have a chance to run it back with the benefit of experience this time around.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Check out these five storylines to watch in Cincinnati tennis 2025
Continue reading...
