Willow G. ‘23: Independence League Singles Champion

Willow capped her career off with another dominating performance in league play at the Independence League Tournament on Wednesday. It was the first time in over four years that the league tournament was held. She won every set of the tournament despite being challenged by only the best competition in the league. In fact, Willow, in all four years, not once dropped a set, an astonishing feat considering the hundred-plus matches she played at de Toledo. Even in the final, in which she was most challenged this year, she pulled through with the straight-set victory to maintain her clear record. Willow knew that she would be facing the toughest competition at the tournament, but it did not phase her, as she became the first in de Toledo’s Tennis program’s history to win a league championship.

Willow entered the year feeling a great responsibility to mirror the leadership she experienced from last year’s seniors, considering she was the sole senior on the team this season. She emphasized building team camaraderie and getting more girls into the program entering the year to help sustain it after her impending graduation. Her aim was to instill her love for being a part of a team and her love for the game on the newcomers, while preparing for her tennis career post-high school. Her proudest moments over the four years were earning a “golden set” by not losing a single point in that set in a league match and coming from behind from a one-set hole, winning the second set and tiebreaker at an outside tournament for her best comeback victory. Willow is thrilled to be the first tennis player at de Toledo to get a banner, as she mentioned the achievement celebrates the tennis community and the Girls Athletics’ community at de Toledo.