Sahil Annamaneni ’24 is a four-year Senior from Avon, Connecticut and co-captain of Boys Varsity Tennis. Annamaneni competed number two in singles and number one in doubles with Yury Tsibikov ’26.
Annamaneni led the team to an 8-2 record, including a 2nd place finish at the SNETL (Southern New England Tennis League) competition on May 11. The team made it to the New England tournament on May 18, where it lost in the quarter-finals to Andover.
Co-captain Xander Farrington ’24 said, “Since Prep year, Sahil has brought a level of camaraderie and competition that has allowed us to consistently rank among the best teams in the Founder’s League. He always gives 100% and does all he can to bring those around him up to his level. He is one of the best captains anyone could ask for.”
Head Coach Josh Smith said, “I am privileged to have had the chance to coach Sahil and see him grow. He is definitely a role model for others on the team.”
How did you start playing tennis?
I started playing tennis around the age of eight, when my dad stuck my sister and I in clinics at our local club. I only really started taking it seriously in 7th grade, when I realized I wanted to make the varsity team in high school.
My experience with tennis started with a strict coach, a hatred for running laps around the court, and an inability to get the ball over the net. Slowly but surely, my competitive nature forced me to take tennis seriously in order to beat my dad and sister.
Quat, my coach, whose job I thought was to yell at me, helped me realize the translatable life skills tennis could provide. He couldn’t accept his player of six years being on JV and turned me into the player I am today.
How did you get involved with tennis at Hotchkiss?
My experience with the tennis team started with me almost being cut. I was #14 out of 16 players and without Covid, I wouldn’t have been top five on JV. Luckily, my coaches saw through my nervous tryouts and helped me become the player I wanted to be.
What have been some of the most important lessons you’ve learned on the team?
One of many lessons that Hotchkiss and the tennis team have taught me is the importance of finding a balance between self-esteem and arrogance. Knowing that our team full of non-recruits wasn’t as talented as other teams in the New England area, we built on the confidence we had in each other to defeat supposedly better teams.
Whether it was a shout from the other side of the fence or a cheer from the sidelines, our team, marked by determination and competitiveness, has exceeded expectations.
In the same manner, learning in a community full of talented people has taught me that not being the best in the room shouldn’t stop me from valuing my own abilities and contributions.
What has it been like to be a captain this year?
Coming into the season as a captain, I was worried that I would be unable to make the season as fun as I had hoped for all of the graduating Seniors. What I didn’t realize was that it wasn’t solely up to me, and that I could rely on my coaches, teammates, and fellow captains.
Being one of three captains this year has been extremely rewarding. Not only are practices, bus rides, and matches enjoyable, but the competitive nature of each individual player has played a role in bringing the entire team together.
With many four-year Seniors on the team, finding a balance between leading a strong team and having a good time has become natural, and my teammates have made the season all the more gratifying.
What are some of your favorite memories from your time on the team?
My time on the team has been defined by lasting friendships, but my favorite moment was of our final match of the season last year. Each school had three points, and the final match to decide who won came down to a super- breaker. After Ken Metanachai ’24 won, our team rushed the court, as this was the match that would qualify us for New Englands. The Chick-fil-A stop after, blaring music on the bus ride back, and Coach scolding us for making our games so close is a memory I will never forget.
Who have been your mentors on the team?
While I was a Lower Mid attempting to make my way into the ladder, Keith Matanachai ’22 and Luke Louchheim ’22 were role models who helped me develop as a player and person. Their dedication to the team and desire to help me and other younger players improve was clear from day one.
Keith and Luke weren’t focused on our individual wins and losses but were committed to advancing the group as a whole, which shifted my perspective on tennis from an apparently individual sport to that of a team.
What are your thoughts on the season?
The 2024 season is coming to a bittersweet end, as the team has accomplished many of the goals we set for ourselves at the beginning of the year, including qualifying for New Englands and placing in the top three at the Kingswood Oxford Invitational Tournament and Southern New England Tennis League.
Although our team is composed mostly of Seniors, I believe we have laid a solid foundation for our current underclass teammates and future varsity players to assume leadership roles and build upon our successful season.
