Girls tennis state roundup: John Burroughs freshman Wayne knocks off unbeaten foe to reach Class 3 semifinals

By Bill Hester | Special to STLhighschoolsports.com

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — John Burroughs freshman Allie Wayne defeated one player with an undefeated record Thursday in the Class 3 singles quarterfinals of the Missouri girls tennis state tournament.

Wayne will try to do the same Friday in the semifinals at Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield, and there’s the possibility of facing a third player with a perfect mark in the championship match.

The Bombers freshman opened the tournament with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Elia Gates of Staley and followed that with her 7-5, 6-1 win over fellow freshman Sara Nenkov of Hickman. Nenkov entered the match with a record of 19-0. Wayne fell behind 4-1 against Nenkov but dominated from that point on.

“I don’t mind being down in a match,” Wayne said. “Sometimes the pressure is off. It’s tougher sometimes to protect the lead.”

Whereas Wayne had played Nenkov several times since they are in the same age bracket in United States Tennis Association events, she has never played her semifinal opponent — Khayli Buckels of Parkway South. Buckels, who has medaled three times at state including a second-place finish in singles last year, lost just one game in her two matches Thursday to improve to 18-0 for the season.

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Wayne does not mind being the underdog against the experienced senior.

“I have never played her, but we both play at Creve Coeur,” Wayne said. “I know she is very nice and a great player. I just need to be zoned in and hit my shots. In the past I have sometimes put pressure on myself so I came down here with my main goal to enjoy myself.”

So far, so good in that regard.

Wayne’s undefeated Bombers teammate, Sahana Madala, also reached the semifinals in Class 3 singles, losing just one game in the process. Madala also will face an undefeated player in the semifinals — North Kansas City’s Sydney Fuger, who enters the match with a 36-0 record.

A pair of area Class 3 doubles teams were impressive in the first day at state. The MICDS duo of Mikaela Mikulec and Rachel Li did not lose a game in their two matches, while Abby Gaines and Emerey Gross of St. Joseph’s lost just four. They are on opposite sides of the bracket and appear on a collision course to face each other in the final.

Westminster’s Aryn Walker returns a serve during a match in the Metro League Tournament on Tuesday, August 30, 2022 at Westminster Christian Academy in Town and Country, Mo. Paul Halfacre, STLhighschoolsports.com

Paul Halfacre

Class 2 roundup

Westminster junior Aryn Walker came to the state meet with the goal of winning a Class 2 singles title. The dream is still alive after the Rosati-Kain transfer, who is playing in her first state tournament, won her two matches Thursday. Walker defeated Sarah Wilde of Capital City 6-0, 6-0 in the first round and followed with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Chloe Stenger of Glendale.

“I came here with the intention of not underestimating anyone and I felt I played well today,” Walker.

There is no chance that Walker will underestimate her semifinal opponent, Leiloni Payton of Lincoln College Prep. Payton finished second in Class 2 singles last year.

“I actually played doubles with her in a recent USTA tournament,” Walker said. “She is a heavy hitter who plays with a lot of pace. I will need to move her around and be very consistent.”

Ladue entered the state tournament with the maximum six players (two singles players and two doubles teams). All six won in the first round Thursday and five of them will be in the semifinals.

Rams freshman Angela Chen will meet Parkway North’s Yvonne Shannon in the other Class 2 singles semifinal. They both go in on a high as Shannon did not lose a game and Chen just one in their two matches Thursday.

Ladue’s doubles teams of Megan Ouyang-Kayla Chan and Grace Qian-Jenna Song both are in the semifinals in Class 2 doubles with hopes of meeting each other in the championship.

Semifinal play in Class 2 and 3 will begin at 8 a.m. Friday, with championship matches in both classes scheduled for noon.

The Class 1 tournament is scheduled to begin with the first two rounds Friday, starting at 1 p.m.

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