Fatigue slows PR senior

Crystal Lake Central's Tommy Nelson returns a ball Thursday during the IHSA Boys Tennis State Meet at Buffalo Grove. ( Jeff Krage - For the Northwest Herald)

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Prairie Ridge senior Craig Greenwald had played 49 games Thursday heading into his third-round match at the IHSA Boys Tennis State Finals, and his opponent had played only 26.

The discrepancy showed as Hins- dale Central’s Augie Bloom defeated Greenwald, 6-4, 6-3, to push Greenwald out of the championship bracket. Bloom is a 5-8 seed and finished third at state last year.

“I was just completely tired,” Greenwald said of his physical condition for his third-round match. “Too much tennis for one day.”

Greenwald is the last remaining local player still alive in the tournament and will begin play in the consolation bracket at 8 a.m. today.

Despite the fatigue and the loss, Greenwald played well against one of the top seeds. The pair slugged away from the baseline in a match that included many multi-deuce games.

Bloom prevailed with greater consistency, precision passing shots and perhaps fresher legs.

In his second-round match, Greenwald defeated Normal’s Andre Aung, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. Aung consistently kept the ball in play and made Greenwald earn his points.

“[Aung] just got to everything,” Greenwald said. “This dude (Bloom) just rocked everything. He knows how to play tennis.”

Wolves coach Jessica Fetzner said Greenwald played some of his best tennis of the season Thursday. She said his athletic ability shows through against quality competition.

“He played three tough matches,” Fetzner said. “He’s able to have the stamina to hang in there on these long, long days.“

Prairie Ridge’s No. 1 doubles team of Mitch MacArthur and Matt Miller won their first-round match before losing to Andy Walker and Carter Wheatley, a 17-32 seed from Lake Forest, 6-3, 6-2. MacArthur and Miller were eliminated in the third round of consolation play by a team from Naperville Central.

Quinn Revak and Brandon Curtis, Prairie Ridge’s No. 2 team, won their first-round match then lost to Tommy McNichols and Michael Sellitto from Glenbrook South, a 3-4 seed, 6-0, 6-1. Revak and Curtis lost in the second consolation round to finish 1-2.  

Revak said that everything he and Curtis hit at McNichols and Sellitto came back twice as hard. In spite of the lopsided loss, Revak said it was a learning experience playing against one of the top seeds.

“It was fun playing them, but it was a clinic for sure,” Revak said.

Cary-Grove’s Chris Federighi had the area’s only win against a seeded player Thursday when he defeated Joey Leto from Downers Grove South, 6-4, 6-3. Leto was a 17-32 seed. Federighi ended his run with a loss in the second consolation round.  

Cam Laktash and Jared Favaro won their opening-round doubles match for Crystal Lake South before losing to Justin and Jordan Leskera, a 9-16 seed from Edwardsville in the second. The South team finished with a loss in the second round of consolation.

Also for South, Kenny Dolan and Scott Subak lost their first-round match before coming back to win one match in the consolation round.

Crystal Lake Central’s Tyler George and Tommy Nelson both went 1-2 on the day. George won his first-round match, and Nelson defeated Jacobs’ Tom Schreiner in the first consolation round.

Grayslake Central’s Mitch Granger won his first-round match and a consolation match to finish 2-2.