Junior Suragh Shrianandh practices for upcoming match against North Central

Carmel men’s tennis has breezed through the first couple games with easy victories, although they are to play against one of their most resilient rivals, North Central, on Sept. 2. The Zionsville Invitational which Carmel men’s tennis takes part in, is scheduled for Sept. 11, and the MIC championship is to be held on Sept. 16. Winning this key matchup against North Central can put Carmel in a more preferable position. To prepare for the key rivalry, Suragh Shrianandh, tennis player and junior, said he has taken the initiative to play well.

“I played tennis a couple days before with some Carmel Alumni. They were all really good at tennis and all played for Carmel’s varsity team,” Shrianandh said.

Vinay Meda, tennis player and junior, said he took a similar, though more comfortable, approach to prepare for the start of the season.

“I played tennis over most of the summer but went on vacation the week before tryouts to have fun and relax,” Meda said. He added that he didn’t feel confident and was feeling angst and pressure to play well during the season.

“The vacation was much needed and definitely improved my mental status”, he said.

Shrianandh said there is always a mental battle before starting something again or playing a tough team.

“During tryouts, I felt my decline in skill level was negligent. I wasn’t feeling great and my mental state was not there. I feel like most players on the team have to face a mental barrier before competing against such a rival rather than a physical barrier,” Shrianandh said. By Rohan Mahesh

For a link to the men’s tennis home page, click HERE.