Boys tennis: Metea Valley's Doyle, Schroeder combining well

Last boys tennis season Metea Valley senior Ian Doyle couldn't wait for the high school arrival of sophomore Aleks Schroeder.

"I've actually known Aleks almost my whole life," Doyle said.

"We started practicing together maybe two, three years ago (at Five Star Tennis Center) and heading into my junior season we were like, 'Let's just play doubles together.' It was awesome. It was great having a freshman as good as him."

The pair finished fourth at sectionals to qualify for the Class 2A tournament.

This season they feel and look even more like a formidable doubles team.

On Thursday the No. 1 doubles team improved to 5-1 in helping the Mustangs defeat visiting Waubonsie Valley 6-1 in DuPage Valley Conference dual action.

"Outside (high school) we play USTA tournaments but all singles," Schroeder said. "We've both definitely worked on our net game. We've improved our volleys, putting away the first shot. My returns have gotten a lot better, just a lot more consistent placement, and also I've been able to place my serve a lot better."

Metea (2-3 in DVC play with 16 points) won its matches all in straight sets, although sophomore Nathan Erickson needed a second-set tiebreaker at No. 3 singles in defeating senior Neel Kamatgi 6-3, 7-6 (3).

Also winning were freshman Vittal Harith and sophomore George Gudgeon at Nos. 2 and 4 singles and juniors Sarat Sagaram and Aryan Gandhi and freshmen Tanay Vutukuru and Shankar Jambunathan at Nos. 2 and 3 doubles.

Senior and Illinois-Chicago signee Anthony Nguyen, already a three-time state singles qualifier, won for the Warriors (1-2 in DVC with 9 points) at No. 1 singles 6-2, 7-5 over junior Andre Ladron.

Doyle and Schroeder defeated senior Porter Holyoak and sophomore Andrew Luckett 6-2, 6-3. So far, Doyle and Schroeder only have lost to Naperville Central standouts Martin Matov and Ammar Saeed 6-3, 6-3 on April 12.

At 2017 state Doyle and Schroeder lost both of their matches in straight sets with 12 games won. Being eliminated the first day resulted in a long look at improvement.

"Our net game wasn't good enough. Our returns weren't good enough at state and people exposed that," Doyle said. "Last year we struggled at the net. We were both singles players trying to play doubles. Definitely at practice I try to make it a focus to try to get at the net, working on things - volleys, overheads, just making sure my net game is solid."

In this spring's crazy weather Metea has played a DVC-best five conference matches. The Warriors, Wheaton North and Lake Park have the fewest with three. However, Metea had to play defending Class 2A champion Naperville Central for its third match in three days after facing Naperville North and Neuqua Valley.

"(Doyle and Schroeder) lost to Naperville Central, but it was close. They honestly could win conference and sectionals," first-year Metea coach Kole Clousing said. "State, I think, left a sour taste in their mouths so they definitely want to go back with a vengeance. I expect them to go very far this year."

Nguyen looks ready to improve upon his top-16 2A state singles finish and become, Waubonsie coach Phil Galow believes, the first four-time state qualifier in program history.

"Make a name for myself, leave a legacy. I'd definitely like that," Nguyen said.

On Thursday Nguyen overcame a 5-4 second-set deficit by breaking serve twice.

"He's in a pretty tough sectional, but I think that he proved himself last year and he's going to prove himself this year," Galow said of Nguyen. "I'll take all of the pressure off of him, but he knows what his objective is."

Nguyen's only loss is on a 10-point third-set tiebreaker 6-7 (5), 6-2, (10-1) to Loyola Academy senior Alan Arocho, a two-time state doubles qualifier, in their final match in the wee hours of the New Trier Invitational on March 17 indoors at Five Star.

Earlier in the invite, Nguyen won 6-3, 6-3 over Maine South senior Danilo Kovacevic, who beat Nguyen 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 in the third round of the 2017 state tournament en route to finishing second.

"I wanted revenge. I don't think I played him during USTA tournaments so it was a pretty big match for me. I was really happy with my performance," Nguyen said.

"I wasn't too unhappy about (the state loss). He just played tennis that I didn't feel I was ready for. I was playing the best I could that day. I'm just trying to work on my endurance for state."