Megan Chung’s experience playing for the High School North girls tennis team goes even beyond the last four years.
The senior’s first introduction to the Knights can be traced back seven years to when her sister was on the team. She started playing against some of her sister’s friends when she was in sixth grade.
“It was scary to hit against high school kids when I was in middle school,” Chung said. “They taught me a few things and they were role models for me.”
Now it’s Chung setting the tone as a veteran leader for a Knights team that is looking to duplicate a sectional championship, albeit in a new section. After winning the Central Jersey Group III title last year—their first since Chung’s sister played in 2018—North is now playing North Jersey, Group III.
“There’s Ridge, Millburn, Summit, us, Princeton, and Chatham is another one. I think we could beat most of them, but it’s tough,” said North coach Rich Arnold.
The postseason will piggyback off what is shaping up to be a difficult Colonial Valley Conference Division as well. The regular season should help prepare North well and returning members like Chung know well what it takes to win.
“It was definitely sad losing that team where we had such a strong connection, but every year we come back and build newer connections and that’s an important part about the team,” she said.
Chung has been a major contributor each year of high school. She has played every position in the Knights’ singles lineup during her career. “It was fun playing against stronger players. It kind of takes the pressure off of me, so I try to do my best against these players. Sometimes having that pressure off helped me, and I was able to win some crazy matches.”
Chung expects a little more of herself in second and third singles matchups, but because the Knights’ schedule is so tough this year she will still have some challenging matches at third singles. She and the Knights opened the year in promising fashion. After a tight 3-2 loss to Lawrenceville School—almost trial by fire for the new players in the lineup—the Knights turned around and won the Moorestown Classic tournament, culminating with a 3.5-1.5 win over rival High School South.
“We were definitely happy after the Moorestown win, but I don’t think it has changed the mindset of our team,” Chung said. “We don’t think we’re better than everyone else because of that, but I think it allowed us to see where we are at.”
Chung and junior Eva Fea were winners in the singles lineup while Anjali Vemuri and Mahi Patmidi sealed the Moorestown title with a win at first doubles. Fea also has been a staple in the singles lineup, and played first singles last year. But with the arrival of freshman Sarah Henderson, who won the first singles spot for the Knights to start the year, the singles lineup is formidable. Chung’s experience helped her understand what sort of pressure Henderson might be feeling.
“She’s adjusting well,” Chung said. “When I was in my freshman year, I was so scared at every match. But she’s been solid each match.”
The Knights ladder could still change if a position wins a challenge match, but North is hoping it can build the chemistry and strength it needs in its two doubles pairings to take some pressure off the singles players too. Vemuri and Patmidi have already shown their ability at first doubles, and Isabella Abrigo and Yashica Tanuku were coming along at second doubles.
“It’s a work in progress,” Arnold said. “We have a freshman playing with the senior, but the freshman, Patmidi, her sister, Priya, eventually played No. 1 in our championship team in 2018 when we won our first sectional. She’s playing with the senior Anjali who’s played four years so she’s got some good experience. And then the other team, they’re still improving. I’ve got a freshman and a sophomore, and one’s a lefty and talented girl.”
There is enough strength in the lineup to make the Knights a tough team to beat. They already avenged their loss to Lawrenceville with a 4-1 defeat of the Big Red on Sept. 20, and that came on the heels of a 3-2 win over a formidable Princeton High squad as part of an 8-1 start to the year.
Chung is one spot that the Knights are confident in because of her steady growth. She won each of her matches in the first nine team contests. She will be tough to beat at third singles after gaining experience in the higher flights.
Chung can feel comfortable when she looks to her side to see Fea still playing on the next court. That gives her confidence in the Knights lineup and her spot.
“This singles lineup, I think it’s extremely strong,” she said. “Eva and I have always been next to each other on the courts because we’re either like one and two or two and three this year. ”
It will be tested throughout the season. “I’d much rather play the stronger teams even if we lose,” Arnold said. “I’d much rather do that than getting these matches where nobody’s pushing each other.”
Chung is relying on her years of experience to help produce another good season. She has seen a variety of playing styles through the years and knows how to navigate pressure situations that could benefit her in her final scholastic season.
“I’ve always had this habit of overthinking, and that just shuts my whole game down,” she said. “So I think the most important thing that I’ve learned was trying to keep things simple and going back to the foundations when I’m overthinking and can’t just play my own game. Just going back to what I know has helped me.”
Chung has always felt at her best around the Knights team. Being a part of the North squad has bolstered her ability.
“I feel like I’m the most confident I’ve ever been with playing tennis,” she said. “I’ve just found confidence again, and even when I started my freshman year, my confidence immediately rose being with the team. I don’t know if that was just like the effect the team had on me. Now that I’m a senior, I’m happy where I am right now.”
Chung might not be done with the game. She is weighing the possibility of playing in college, and looking at schools where she might be able to fit on a team.
“It would be fun for me to continue my tennis career in college because it’s been such a big part of my life since I was like five years old,” Chung said. “Tennis will always be in the future for me.”
Tennis has remained a constant for Chung. She also has put a lot of time into playing piano, though she backed down from her lessons and performances when she was a freshman and started high school.
“I still like to go back to piano because whereas there’s a lot of competition and stuff in tennis, I feel like piano, it’s just me and the music,” Chung said. “There’s no expectations of me to do anything, so that’s what I love about it.”
Chung does have expectations for her final season of North tennis. With a jumpstart to the program thanks to her sister, she has been around the Knights as much as anyone. She’s been a vital part of their success over her career and is looking to produce some more memorable times this fall.
“I just want to have as much fun as I can and that ultimately helps my game a lot,” she said. “So just having fun on the court, and I want to spend as much happy time together with the whole entire team. And I think that will help guide us to victory.”
WW-P High School North girls' tennis player Megan Chung.,
