Outpoll | It's a sister act as several Cincinnati girls qualify for state tennis tournament

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It's a sister act as several Cincinnati girls qualify for state tennis tournament

It's a sister act as several Cincinnati girls qualify for state tennis tournament

2 days ago7 min read4 comments

The crisp autumn air at the Lindner Family Tennis Center will carry more than just the sound of bouncing balls and the sharp thwack of rackets this October; it will carry the weight of legacy, the spark of sibling synergy, and the palpable energy of young athletes whose seasons have distilled into this single, defining moment. The Ohio high school girls' state tennis tournament is not merely a competition; it is a crucible where character is forged alongside forehands, a narrative-rich arena where stories of dedication and dreams unfold with every serve and volley.At the heart of this year’s Cincinnati contingent is a compelling theme of familial bonds and shared ambition, a sister act in both literal and figurative terms. From the seasoned prowess of Mason's Addison Cassidy, a senior defending her Division I singles crown with the quiet confidence of a champion who has navigated every possible high school pathway—from a Division II doubles finalist at CHCA to a singles titan at Mason—to the fresh-faced determination of newcomers like Ursuline Academy’s Libby Goedde, the courts will be a tapestry of individual quests.Yet, it is in the doubles brackets where the theme resonates most powerfully. Consider the Sayles sisters of Sycamore, senior Allison and sophomore Serena, a duo whose synergy extends beyond the baseline.Their qualification for a second straight year is a testament to a partnership honed in countless practice sessions, a dynamic where an unspoken language guides their court coverage and shot selection, turning a pair of successful singles players—both All-GMC selections in their own right—into a cohesive, formidable team. Their story is mirrored by the twin force of Katherine and Caroline Connelly from Cincinnati Country Day, seniors whose identical drives have propelled the Nighthawks to the top of the Miami Valley Conference.An 8-0 conference record as a pair speaks to a lifetime of shared experience, a competitive empathy that allows them to anticipate each other's moves in a way no other pair can replicate. This familial thread, however, is woven not just by blood but by the deep, almost sisterly bonds formed between teammates.Look at the Mason doubles squads, a veritable dynasty in the making. The duo of Adriana Moreno and Saanvi Reddy, who captured the district title by avenging a sectional loss to their own teammates, Emma Wagner and Pratyusha Chaudhuri, represents the intense, internal competition that fuels greatness.Wagner and Chaudhuri themselves are chasing history, aiming to become only the second team ever to win three OHSAA state doubles championships, a goal that requires a level of trust and shared resilience that transcends ordinary partnership. And then there is the raw, unbridled potential of sophomores Bhavana Singidi and Vanmayl Podili, another Mason pair, whose fourth-place district finish belies a future brimming with possibility.This collective push from Cincinnati is not just about winning points; it’s about the life lessons embedded in every match—the grace in handling a narrow defeat, the humility in a dominant victory, and the profound understanding that in tennis, as in life, you are never truly alone on the court when you have a partner, a sister, a teammate sharing the burden and the glory. As these young women step onto the blue hard courts, they carry with them the hopes of their schools, the pride of their families, and the invisible, unbreakable threads that connect them to one another in a shared pursuit of excellence.