Munster’s Adam Muntean is a doubles guy, even within himself

MUNSTER — Adam Muntean has two minds, athletically.

The Munster junior will play No. 1 doubles this fall. He spends his winters grappling on the mat with the Mustangs wrestling team. That’s not a usual combination. In fact, tennis coach Patrick Spohr believes it may be the first time he’s coached a wrestler.

“I’m a different guy on that mat (than on the court). In wrestling, I’m in a certain mind space where I need to dominate my opponent,” Muntean said. “In tennis, it’s a similar mindset but it’s more strategy. It’s just not as physical.”

Tennis is his primary sport, though. It’s what he grew up playing with his family. At least this fall, it’s the sport where he’s going to be asked to make the biggest impact.

“Whatever role he plays, he’s going to give us the best shot he can at winning and being successful,” Spohr said.

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Muntean was voted captain by his teammates. He’s one of only three starting Mustangs returning from last season’s run to the team state quarterfinals last season.

Maybe more important than that, though, he’s a team-first guy. When Danny Sroka was injured two years ago, Muntean played up with the varsity team. When Sroka came back, Muntean made no issue of dropping to the JV.

“Anything that’s best for the team, I’m perfectly happy with. We made it pretty far (my freshman year) so I’m happy with what they did and I’m just happy I was a part of varsity up to that point,” he said.

Muntean isn’t just a rah-rah leader, though. He can play.

He was named first-team all-district and was an all-state honorable mention last season with doubles mate Nick Stephan by the Indiana High School Tennis Coaches Association. He looks to take another step with two years of experience under his belt.

“He’s taken every opportunity that he’s gotten and run with it,” Spohr said. “He’s taken everything that he’s learned the past two years and now he’s the upperclassman, the only one with real doubles experience. He’s definitely found his role and his voice.”

Muntean rolled his ankle early in the state quarterfinal round against Columbus North. Stephan had a groin injury. Each stuck it out and the pair gave Eric Stavnheim and Parth Shah all they could handle in a 7-6, 7-5 match.

“We just told each other we’re not giving up on this,” Muntean said. “If we were 100 percent, I do fully think we should’ve won that match. We just stuck through it and every point we’d look at each other and said ‘We’ve got to give it our all.’”

This year, Muntean is playing with Yousef Khokhar at No. 1 doubles. Lineups can fluctuate over the course of a season. Muntean had five doubles partners in 2021. But he’s played with Khokhar the last few matches.

Singles has never been Muntean’s game. He likes to play at the net and prefers the team aspect of doubles.

“It’s all just finding that chemistry and that’s something that you have to do on and off the court,” he said. “On the court, we’re with each other everyday so it’s just about talking in the midst of that.”

Part of that bonding also happens during training, which Muntean sometimes leads with the doubles players. Spohr said Muntean is almost like another coach, in his third year in the program.

That’s important for a Munster team with less experience than usual but only marginally willing to cut back its ambition.

“I want us to make it to semistate. Even if we don’t make it to state, if we’re all playing our best and we’re all having fun out there, we’re all walking out of there with a smile,” Muntean said. “I’m just happy that all of our guys are out there having fun playing the game.”

Gallery: Munster wins seventh straight regional title 100721-spt-btn-mun_1

Munster’s Jose Foster chases down a shot from Crown Point’s Holden Paskis in the first set of their regional match at Munster on Wednesday.

Jeffrey D. Nicholls, The Times 100721-spt-btn-mun_2

Munster’s Charlie Morton raises the regional championship trophy with the Mustangs after defeating Crown Point at Munster on Wednesday.

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Crown Point’s Holden Paskis watches his shot as he returns to Munster’s Jose Foster during the regional championship at Munster on Wednesday.

Jeffrey D. Nicholls, The Times 100721-spt-btn-mun_4

Munster’s Ryan Muntean returns to Crown Point’s Jackson Pawlowski during their regional championship match at Munster on Wednesday.

Jeffrey D. Nicholls, The Times 100721-spt-btn-mun_5

Crown Point’s Jackson Pawlowski serves against Munster’s Ryan Muntean during their No. 2 singles match at Munster on Wednesday.

Jeffrey D. Nicholls, The Times 100721-spt-btn-mun_6

Munster’s Jose Foster watches the ball as returns to Crown Point’s Holden Paskis in the second set of their match at Munster on Wednesday.

Jeffrey D. Nicholls, The Times 100721-spt-btn-mun_7

Munster’s Ryan Muntean flips his racket while waiting between points of the No. 2 singles match during the regional championship at Munster on Wednesday.

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Munster’s Ryan Muntean yells out as he closes out the number singles match for Munster during the regional championship against Crown Point at Munster on Wednesday.

Jeffrey D. Nicholls, The Times 100721-spt-btn-mun_9

Crown Point’s Jackson Pawlowski returns to Munster’s Ryan Muntean during their No. 2 singles match at Munster on Wednesday.

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Munster’s Jose Foster moves up to the the net against Crown Point’s Holden Paskis in their No. 1 singles match at Munster on Wednesday.

Jeffrey D. Nicholls, The Times 100721-spt-btn-mun_11

Munster’s Ryan Muntean talks with head coach Patrick Spohr during a break at Munster on Wednesday.

Jeffrey D. Nicholls, The Times

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David P. Funk

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