Co-Captain Lena Ciganer-Albeniz ’25 has developed a leadership style that emphasizes support, inclusivity, and collaboration. With tennis’s small roster, she strives to make the team a tight-knit community where everyone’s voice is heard and no player feels overlooked. She also leads by example through her unwavering dedication and now hopes for the team to have a strong showing in what could be her final season of competitive tennis.
Ciganer-Albeniz noted that the tennis team has a smaller roster compared to other teams and believes that, as captain, she shouldn’t enforce a strict hierarchy.
“This is my second season as captain, and what I want to continue from last year is the sense that, because it’s a pretty small team, it doesn’t feel like there are just two captains in charge of everything. Instead, we’re more like the people who organize things, psyches, team dinners, merch, etc. Obviously, if anyone has trouble or something they want to talk about, we’re the people they can go to. But I really like that there isn’t a strict hierarchy. Everyone is close, and I want to keep that up, just carrying on the spirit of Andover tennis and making sure we’re really supportive of each other,” said Ciganer-Albeniz.
Nitya Madduri ’28 shared that she sees Ciganer-Albeniz as a captain who demonstrates consistent effort that inspires the team.
“She definitely leads by example, always dedicated and hardworking, which inspires the rest of the team. She’s also super supportive and communicates really well. She listens to all of us and makes sure each of our voices is heard,” said Madduri.
Madduri added that Ciganer-Albeniz’s ability to stay composed during practice helps the rest of the team remain calm.
“In practice, she stays super calm and collected, which helps the team stay composed. She’s able to manage all the stress and reassure us that everything is okay,” said Madduri.
Madduri highlighted Ciganer-Albeniz’s approachability as a captain, noting how she encourages and uplifts the team. She also emphasized that even during her own matches, Ciganer-Albeniz goes out of her way to support her teammates.
“One thing about her is that she always makes sure we know we can go to her. I couldn’t ask for a better captain. She’s super approachable, gives encouraging speeches, and even does small things, like when she’s playing her match and I’m right next to her, she’ll call out and motivate me. It’s really nice,” said Madduri
Mercan Draman ’26 described Ciganer-Albeniz as a great motivator who genuinely believes in the team’s abilities and helps them navigate challenges.
“Lena is a great motivator. She’s really good at working through tough times. If we’re losing by a lot, she might get mad, but she channels that energy into winning. She really believes in all of us,” said Draman.
Draman also emphasized Ciganer-Albeniz’s commitment to fostering inclusivity within the team, going out of her way to uplift teammates during difficult moments.
“We have a new freshman on the team this year, and Lena always makes sure everyone is included. We’ve had a bunch of team dinners, and she’s the one to bring it up. She just wants to make sure everyone feels involved. This term, I haven’t been playing too great lately, but she saw me playing doubles and motivated me, telling me that I did a really good job,” said Draman.
When asked about her plans for tennis after leaving Andover, Ciganer-Albeniz reflected on the significance of this season for her, acknowledging that it could be her last time playing tennis competitively.
“I’ve thought about it a lot, and I feel there’s value in closing this chapter on competitive tennis in high school. That’s why I’ve been thinking so much about this season, because it might be my last time actually competing,” said Ciganer-Albeniz.
