On the court, sophomore varsity tennis player Palkin Gangwal showcases her passion for tennis leading her team to success.
Gangwal embarked on her tennis journey at age 5 initially due to her parents’ interest. Her mother, Noopur Gangwal, and father, Rohit Gangwal, saw talent in her playing at a young age.
“When she was around 7 years old she started to completely demolish these 12-year-olds like they were nothing,” Mr. Gangwal said. “That’s when we realized she had potential.”
However, for Gangwal, her views on the sport only started to change after fifth grade.
“All my friends were only focused on tennis, so I decided to be too,” Gangwal said.
Today, Gangwal’s dedication and focus continues to be some of her most complementary qualities on the court. As pointed out by teammates sophomore Mihika Modi and junior Ananya Miyapuram, Gangwal’s motivation impacts the team as she promotes everyone to do their best at all times.
“She’s really upbeat and encouraging. It keeps us motivated and hopeful if we have a tough match,” Modi said.
Miyapuram further delved into the topic by highlighting Gangwal’s encouragement to persevere during these tough matches.
“When we’re playing games, it doesn’t matter who we’re playing with and even if we lose one point, she makes sure we win the next point,” Miyapuram said.
Gangwal’s passion for tennis does not go unnoticed. Coppell assistant coach Chris Terry emphasizes how Gangwal’s rigor in the game affects her holistically as a player.
“She plays all by herself because she’s passionate about her game and she knows she’s a strong player,” Terry said. “In tennis, a lot of people hit with a heavy toss bin, and her ball is really low and flat so it gets on people quicker than a normal ball.”
Gangwal’s technique is not the only component that makes her strive for success, but her perseverance is what wins. Terry highlights a specific moment from the match against Flower Mound on Sept. 23, where Gangwal won line 4 singles, 6-1, 6-2.
“She was cramping on the court and had to battle through that and she ended up finding a way to finish that match and pull out a win,” Terry said. “In tennis, once something goes bad, for you to have cramps and still finish strong and still figure out a way to win is a big mental turning point for any player.”
Gangwal added the match against Flower Mound was difficult due to the cramps in both of her feet. Despite the pressure of the match, Gangwal still managed to keep calm. She described how she manages the pressure of important matches and how she mentally prepares herself for what’s to come.
“I try to calm my mind down and only focus on my breathing,” Gangwal said. “I tell myself that it’s just a game and there’s always tomorrow.”
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