Girls tennis claims fourth straight title
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
Zhenia Dementyeva and Nikhita Salgame came into this year with plenty of doubles experience between them.
The Princeton High School girls have combined their experience for the first time to form the top team for the Little Tigers this season.
”We have really similar personalities,” said Dementyeva, a senior. “Both on and off court, we’re really good friends and have good chemistry. It was really quick to adapt to each other’s playing style. We never have a problem on the court. We communicate a lot. Playing with Nikhita is simply a pleasure.”
Dementyeva played first doubles last year as well after a season at third singles when she was a sophomore. Salgame played second doubles last year but her partner graduated allowing her to team up with Dementyeva.
”It’s really exciting,” said Salgame, a junior. “Last year, I played with Allison (Hubert). Playing with a senior again is fun, especially since it’s her last year. We’re really good friends. As players, we complement each other a lot. Zhenia is more aggressive on the court. I’m more steady. We have a lot of fun.”
The two were part of a 5-0 sweep of Ocean on Tuesday as PHS won its fourth straight Central Jersey Group III championship. The Little Tigers dropped just six games among all five flights. Christina Rosca, Katelyn Hojeibane and Rory Lewis swept the singles while Elise Gerdes and Gillian Samios won their second doubles match.
”It’s great,” said PHS head coach Sarah Hibbert. “We were very excited to be able to do this. It’s the fourth year in a row. That’s really exciting. We’re hoping to be able to do well at the group championships.”
The Group III semifinals and finals are today at Mercer County Park. PHS reached the finals last year. They are happy to be in position for that chance again with the sectional win.
”It feels really good,” Dementyeva said. “I was lucky enough to be on the team the last three years. The last four years we’ve won the sectional title. The senior year, it’s like putting the last jewel on the crown. It was a good feeling.”
The Little Tigers do not play Ocean in the regular season, and they were not familiar with their opposing finalist. PHS had to use the first games of their match to gauge Ocean’s ability.
”We just wanted to make sure we were staying focused even though we didn’t know who they were and how they played,” Salgame said. “They beat Steinert, 3-2. We knew if we stayed focused, we could definitely do it. We didn’t want to get ahead of ourselves and think we’d automatically make it through the round.”
Dementyeva and Salgame could fall back on their experience. Both have been in big matches and know what it takes to win. They have taken very seriously the chance to be together and win a point for PHS each match. Dementyeva is in her second season at first doubles and is more comfortable than a year ago and better prepared.
”I think my net game has improved a lot, as well as my serve,” she said. “Those two things are very important in doubles. If you’re serving, you can set up your partner up to take a volley. The thing I’ve learned to do is exactly that. I help my partner and we’re able to build a better point together.”
Salgame played varsity for the first time last season, but she was also a part of the first doubles team for the junior varsity as a freshman.
”I think I’ve definitely improved my game a lot over the last three years,” Salgame said. “I remember playing doubles freshman year. I definitely didn’t play doubles as a doubles game. I played it like a singles player. We didn’t communicate and cover the court. Those are things that Zhenia and I do now. I’ve become more comfortable at the net. I hated volleying. I’m more aggressive at the net. Communication is the biggest thing. I’ve learned to communicate with my partner.”
They got better together by taking a step not all high school teams do. They committed some extra time outside of school.
”We took a few lessons together with my tennis coach,” Dementyeva said. “He taught us a few strategies. We signal to each other to know what movement the net player will do. We worked on being aggressive. That helped us succeed in counties and the state match so far. We’re able to take control the points right from the serve, and that has helped us.”
The signs are just another way for the two to stay connected on the court. They aren’t afraid to talk about how they can improve after matches, and they have seen steady progress with every piece of work they do.
”I think we play much better now than at the beginning of the season,” Salgame said. “We took one or two private lessons together. We worked on strategies. We tried signs. We could see what our strengths were. We practiced them during easier games and we’re able to use them in tougher games. We’ve definitely evolved that way.
”We weren’t using signs in the beginning. We weren’t communicating on that level. By doing that now, it’s helped our game a lot.”
It also helps that PHS has good competition within the county. Dementyeva and Salgame’s only two losses this year came against a West Windsor-Plainsboro South team that has reached the state doubles tournament semifinals. The Little Tigers tandem has been tested in the year by Mercer County teams, and it paid off in a relatively quick win over Ocean.
”When we are forced to play more challenging teams, we grow more as a team,” Salgame explained. “They can pick on our weaknesses and we realize what we’re not doing as well and what we can fix. That definitely helps when we play easier teams.”
There are no easy wins left at this stage of the state tournament. PHS knows they are among the best in New Jersey, and it will come down to who is playing best on any given day.
”It’s a little bit daunting,” Dementyeva said. “We’ve been there last year. We know what to expect. There are going to be some tough matches. We’ll try to stay focused and play our best. I think the most important thing is we have to believe in ourselves. If we do, I think everything will turn out well.”
It’s already been quite a season for the trio of seniors on PHS. Dementyeva can’t imagine a much better finish to her scholastic career.
”It was really nice to win the counties because we hadn’t done it in at least 20 years,” she said. “That was a difference from previous years. I love the team, everyone works really hard, everyone is really friendly. In a good way, it was everything I’d hoped it would be.”
The Little Tigers like the way that things have worked out for them. Their doubles teams are as reliable as any. Dementyeva and Salgame look as though they’ve been playing together for years.
They really complement each other’s styles well,” Hibbert said. “Nikhita is steady and keeps the ball in play. Zhenia is aggressive. They’ve worked hard. They complement each other’s styles and communicate well on the court. They’ve gotten stronger and stronger as the season’s gone on.”
The PHS first doubles team has gotten to be almost a given point in matches. The Little Tigers try not to think that way.
”I definitely don’t feel it as a pressure,” Salgame said. “It’s more like us hoping we can play our best game and make sure we’re playing to the best of our abilities and not necessarily feeling the pressure to win the point. We just want to be happy with the way we end up playing.”
Their strong play has helped PHS meet every goal it set so far. The sectional crown is the latest achievement in a banner year.
”It definitely still means a lot,” Salgame said. “It’s really cool winning sectionals again, especially for our seniors. To keep that streak going is a big thing for them. It’s very exciting.
”It’s definitely what we were hoping for as a team. It was definitely all a goal of ours. We knew if we tried hard, we knew we could make that come true. I don’t know if we assumed we’d get this far, but we were hoping we would.”
Dementyeva is investigating what her tennis career holds beyond this year. She has at least one college that would like her to play tennis for it. For now, her focus is on finishing her final year with Princeton with fond feelings.
”I’m just kind of soaking in how much I love playing with the tennis team,” Dementyeva said. “I think no matter what, win or lose, the last matches we play in the states and out of states even, I’m going to have a good time out on the court with my partner and make memories I’ll take with me the rest of my life.
”Every match means more to me. I know that moment won’t happen again. It’s more sentimental. Every picture that we take, I think, I won’t be able to take this picture next year. Everything is that much more meaningful.”