4/4 – Andover: 3, Taft: 4
Boys Tennis (1–2) fell to Taft in a competitive loss on Saturday, losing by only one match. In singles matches, second seed and Co-Captain Ben Shin ’26, fourth seed Nick Nawracaj ’28, and sixth seed Sean Liu ’28 secured victories against their respective opponents. Taft, however, earned a tie-breaking fourth point by winning two out of the three doubles matches.
Despite Andover’s defeat, several key moments highlighted the team’s potential. In singles, Shin defeated his opponent 7–6, 6–3. George Richardson ’27 reflected on a strong start from Shin that helped set the tone early in the match.
“One moment I can remember from [the event] was Ben’s start to a singles match. He started off the game playing really well, so he went up to a 40–0 lead, and then he ended up winning that game, and that really set him up with good momentum for the rest of his match,” said Richardson.
Richardson also pointed to the performance of newer players stepping into larger roles, noting how important their development has been as the team adjusts to a roster with four newcomers early in the season. According to Richardson, Nawracaj is one of the new players that flourished in his third match of the season.
“I think Nick, one of our new Lowers, did really well in his match. This was his third match on the team and his first singles win, so I would really like to commemorate him for that, and honestly, he played really well in the match, utilizing the skills we have been practicing and working on,” said Richardson.
For Tomas Tejapaibul ’27, doubles stood out as a major positive. Alongside his doubles partner Nawracaj, he was able to secure an 8–3 victory. When reflecting on their performance, Tejapaibul highlighted the importance of communication and trust.
“We won our match, and it was a pretty strong showing from us. We had really good chemistry with one another, and we worked really well together. We made good plans, and I’m looking forward to playing more matches with him in the future,” said Tejapaibul.
Sean Liu ’28 won his match in 1–6, 6–1, 1–0, and Nawracaj defeated his opponent in 2–6, 6–3, 1–0. A newcomer to the Varsity squad, Liu praised the team’s resilience in responding to adversity.
“In both my game and Nick’s game, we both lost the first set and were able to come back starting in the second set. So that’s an important moment for both of us,” Liu said.
As the season progresses, the team remains focused on growth and team chemistry. Co-Captain Jeff Shen ’26 summarized the team’s mindset moving forward.
“We’re always saying, ‘don’t get down on your teammates’. It’s obviously good to give constructive criticism, but never harbor any ill will towards each other and ensure that you’re always helping each other out because at the end of the day, success from a teammate is success for the team as a whole, and that means success for you.”
Boys Tennis will play Greenwich Country Day School this Saturday.
