Coppell tennis commemorates seniors against Plano

Coppell+senior+Lakshana+Parasuraman+plays+against+Plano+in+singles%2C+winning+6-0+6-0+on+Tuesday+at+the+CHS+tennis+center.+Coppell+beat+Plano%2C+17-2.+Senior+Night+is+the+last+home+match+of+the+season+and+celebrates+seniors+for+their+last+season+at+Coppell+High+School.+

Iniya Nathan

Coppell senior Lakshana Parasuraman plays against Plano in singles, winning 6-0 6-0 on Tuesday at the CHS tennis center. Coppell beat Plano, 17-2. Senior Night is the last home match of the season and celebrates seniors for their last season at Coppell High School.

Anushree De, Advertising and Circulations Manager

Coppell senior Meghana Ambati stares at the senior exhibition with a pondering intensity. Ambati, who has been playing tennis since third grade, sees the culmination of her tennis career pasted on a board.

“It started from my dad putting me in tennis and evolved into something more competitive,” Ambati said. There’s been so many memories. I’m very grateful for my coaches and my team for the last four years.”

Coppell won all their girls and boys doubles, losing on a close 6-2 7-5 loss in mixed doubles. By the time the match ended, Coppell dominated the match 17-2.

Ambati is not the only senior being recognized in Tuesday’s match between Coppell and Plano at the CHS Tennis Center, which also served as senior night for the 22 senior players on the team and the last home match of the season. The seniors were provided snacks and a dinner organized by the booster team.

“Most of these seniors have been in this program for four years,” CHS tennis coach Anthony Smith said. “This is a commemoration of all their hard work, their dedication, their resilience and tonight they will go out with a fighting heart.”

For many seniors, nearing the end of their high school tennis careers was an odd feeling.

“This feels surreal,” Coppell High School senior captain Lindsay Patton said. “I’ve been playing on these courts since middle school. It’s weird to think that this is my last home court. It makes you think about how time flies and how much I’ll miss it.”

Despite it being the last home match, Coppell tennis is far from finished.

“We want to make it back to the regional semifinals in Abilene,” Patton said. “For spring, my personal goal is to go back to state.”

As the seniors begin to bid farewell to their high school tennis career, they pay homage to the courts that have become their second home.

“I would argue that tennis is more of a mental game than a physical one,” Ambati said. “Both on the court and off of it, I learned to be resilient, and I got that from tennis.”

Follow Anushree De (@anushree_night) and @SidekickSports on Twitter.