Who's Hot
Hot 100 List - September 2024
by James Hill, 23 September 2024
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The Hot 100 lists are published each month, and the September Hot 100 lists feature the 100 boys and girls who most improved their rankings during the month of August. You can find out more about the Hot 100 - and how the lists are calculated - by reading here.
The latest lists are available here:
We talked to some of the top performers:
Ava Lewis (Davidson, North Carolina)
Ava Lewis (WTN: 21.5) climbed to No. 180 in the Tennis Recruiting Network girls rankings from the 200th position.
The 5-foot-7 right-handed four star posted a 10-3 record and won the 18s L5 Beat the Heat Summer Open in Cary, North Carolina. Lewis also took third place at the L4 Kiawah Island (South Carolina) Flighted event.
Four-Star Junior Ava Lewis
© Contributed Photo
“I think I’ve managed my emotions better on the court lately,” said Lewis, a junior at Ambassador Christian School in Huntersville, North Carolina. “I try to just keep playing one point at a time and not get down if I lose a set or get down in a set, knowing I can come back and win. I also feel like I’ve done a better job in the big points and not having unforced errors in those moments. My serve has gotten a lot more consistent lately, and I am not giving away points with double faults.”
Lewis won the Cary tournament with a hard-fought 7-6 (2), 1-6, (10-5) decision over Saanchi Dalal, who was playing the tournament in her hometown. Part of Lewis’ victory can be attributed to her extensive work with her coach, RJ Murray, of the River Run Tennis Academy in Davidson.
“I am working consistently to improve my overall game,” Lewis said. “We are constantly working on everything, from strikes to footwork. I am working on getting my serve better, and looking to get on offense and trying to finish as many points as I can at the net. I have been working a lot on my volleys to be better at closing points. I also have been working on hitting slice backhands on the run to try to swing some points from defense to offense.
“My forehand is definitely my best shot. I’m comfortable with my backhand, but my forehand is definitely my weapon.”
Lewis is a member of the fledgling Ambassador Christian Lions tennis team. She previously attended Hough High School in Cornelius, North Carolina, but did not compete on the school’s team because of her commitment to junior tennis. However, Lewis did become a member of the National Honor Society.
“I absolutely want to play college tennis,” Lewis said. “Right now, I’m just focusing on improving and getting to a place where I have great options to play at a high level in college.”
Melanie and Jamie Lewis played a large part in their daughter’s entry into the sport of tennis. Their daughter played competitive soccer until the age of 10, when they booked the younger Lewis a tennis lesson. She began competition immediately, and decided to focus on tennis because she enjoyed the aspect of playing an individual sport instead of a team sport.
“Ava just graviated to tennis, and once she started playing there was no turning back,” her parents said. “This last month Ava competed very well and fought for every point, and didn’t get discouraged when she lost momentum in matches. She focused the best in the tiebreakers, as she won quite a few. She kept her composure out there in these pressure-packed moments.”
Anand Sahasrabudhe (Scotch Plains, New Jersey)
Anand Sahasrabudhe (WTN: 18.4) rose 56 positions in the Tennis Recruiting Network boys rankings from 227th to No. 171.
The 6-foot right-handed four star compiled an 8-1 record and won the 18s of the L4 Center Court Open in Gillete, New Jersey. Sahasrabudhe outlasted Giovanni Rezk (Oyster Bay, New York) 6-4, 4-6, (10-7) in the championship matchup.
Four-Star Senior Anand Sahasrabudhe
© Contributed Photo
“I credit my good play to many things,” said Sahasrabudhe, a senior at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School. “First, I think a huge part has been an improvement mentally. A big factor in this mental improvement has been high school tennis, which made me more comfortable in match situations, due to the number of matches I played. Another thing that has helped my recent play is an improvement in my fitness, which has been an aspect of my game which I have struggled a lot.”
Sahasrabudhe’s mom and dad are Anuradha and Amol Sahasrabudhe. Their son got into tennis because of Amol, who was always a “huge tennis fan.” He played cricket in his native India and signed the younger Sahasrabudhe up for tennis lessons and other sports at an early age when they moved to the United States. In addition to tennis, Anand Sahasrabudhe played soccer and baseball until the age of 14, until “in the end, he chose tennis as the main sport.”
Sahasrabudhe plays No. 1 singles for the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Raiders tennis team. He went undefeated during the regular season and advanced to the Round of 16 at the New Jersey state tournament.
Sahasrabudhe said he has trained in many places throughout his life. His main training center has been the Garden State Tennis Academy in Edison, New Jersey. Sahasrabudhe’s main coaches are Joao Pinho from Nassau Tennis Club, as well as Mike Sroczynski and Perseo Negri, all who are from New Jersey. At the ages of 12-14, Sahasrabudhe was coached by Martin Alund, who helped him develop his game and love of the sport.
Sahasrabudhe’s main focus is working on improving his fitness and refining the serve and forehand. He is also learning to mix in different heights and spin off both the backhand and forehand sides.
“I would describe myself as an aggressive player who likes to come forward,” Sahasrabudhe said. “Some of my main strengths on the court are my serve and forehand. I aim to create opportunities for myself on the court, mainly with those two strokes.”
As a senior, college tennis is definitely on Sahasrabudhe’s mind.
“I have been going through the recruiting process for some time now,” Sahasrabudhe said. “I am looking for a school that will give me the right balance between academics and tennis. I am also looking for a school that has a strong sense of community within the team.”
Tatiana Martinez (Miami, Florida)
Tatiana Martinez (WTN: 21.8) now holds the No. 189 position in the Tennis Recruiting Network girls rankings, moving up from the 236th slot.
The 5-foot-10 right-handed four star posted a recent 6-3 record and reached the 18s semifinals of the L5 Sanlando Park tournament in Altamonte Springs, Florida. Martinez also was a quarterfinalist at the L5 Atlanta Southern RN Classic.
Four-Star Junior Tatiana Martinez
© Contributed Photo
“After dealing with many injuries, I’ve finally been able to get more consistent,” said Martinez, a junior at Florida Virtual School. “I’m getting confident in myself and my game, which has slowly been improving. As a player who performs better with consistent practice and match play, being able to compete more has helped me learn and make progress.”
Martinez’s private coach of six years is Brian Gordon of Tennis Center for Performance Research. She also trains with Rick Macci and Mark Chellas. She is working with her coaches on closing at the net. Martinez said she has an imposing game style and serve, and the coaches see more opportunities to win points at the net.
“If there were a way to describe my game, I would say it’s a very aggressive style,” Martinez said. “I am a player that likes to take control of the point early on and do my best to finish it quickly. My strengths are my forehand and backhand, which are also my favorite shots.
“My technique is based more toward an ATP style, compared to your usual WTA, which I’ve been told by several parents and coaches is ‘impressive.’ Apart from that, my practice regimens that my coach, Brian Gordon, incorporates in our lessons is something that distinguishes myself to others. While from the outside it may seem like normal drills, it’s the way he sets them up that makes it not only physical but also mental. It takes a lot of concentration, focus, and composure to complete them, which I believe helps a lot for when I’m in a match scenario.”
Martinez is definitely a “comeback player.” In 2021 and 2022, Martinez had to go for two years without competing because of pain from a knee injury. Her doctors believed it was merely growing pain due to rapid growth. But she was eventually diagnosed with osteochondritis dissecans, a joint condition in which the cartilage of a joint dies from lack of blood flow. She had surgeries in August 2021 and February 2022.
“I thank God that I am now playing pain free,” Martinez said. “Although the setback was difficult and made me worried if I had lost too much time, I give thanks to the amazing people I had around me that kept me encouraged to continue on and come back. Now taking it one tournament at a time, my love for the game and hunger for improvement is only growing stronger.”
Martinez began virtual school in the fifth grade to focus on competitive tennis. As a junior, college is definitely on her mind.
“Since I first started tennis my dream was always to pursue a professional career in tennis,” Martinez said. “After my injury, I realized that with the time that I lost, college was a good route to start with first. What I look for is a competitive environment where I would be pushed to become a better and tougher version of myself. As I mentioned before, I am a very competitive person so I believe being surrounded by players and coaches who know more or are even considered better players than I am, will push me to improve and compete at my best level.”
Her mom and dad are Ninijohanna Garcia and Omar Martinez. Martinez’s dad saw tennis as an opportunity for his daughter to try out. Her passion for the sport grew when she started participating in competitions.
When Martinez was younger, she used to dance and participate in gymnastics. She told her parents that tennis was the sport for her.
“She fell in love with the sport at a young age and it’s what she enjoys doing the most,” Martinez’s parents said. “We credit her good play due to her extra hard work in her training, and determination to compete in consecutive tournaments. What distinguishes her from other players is her all-around technique.”
Trevor Nguyen (Huntington Beach, California)
Trevor Nguyen (WTN: 18.7) now stands at No. 113 in the Tennis Recruiting Network boys rankings, moving up from the 142nd slot.
The 5-foot-10 left-handed four star posted a 10-3 singles record. Nguyen advanced to the 18s finals of the L5 Lakewood Tennis Club Flighted Draws tournament in Lakewood, California. He later made the quarterfinals of the L4 Labor Day event in Costa Mesa, California.
Four-Star Junior Trevor Nguyen
© Contributed Photo
“Recently, I have been playing a lot of practice matches, alongside conditioning and fitness,” said Nguyen, a junior at Marina High School. “I have been able to sustain my intensity for a longer time during my matches. I have been working on my mental game. I feel like I am stronger mentally and able to stay calm during my matches. My serve has played a big part in my game. If I were not able to make serves, I would not play well in other parts of my game.”
Nguyen plays No. 1 singles for his Marina High Vikings tennis team. This season, he will be one of the team captains. Nguyen and his partner won the Wave League doubles championship, as well as the California Interscholastic Federation doubles title. It marked the first time in Marina’s history to win a CIF individual championship. Nguyen also was named the team’s Most Valuable Player for 2024.
Academically, Nguyen is a member of the National Honor Society and maintains a 4.5 grade-point average. He also is taking five Advanced Placement classes.
“I have not put too much thought into colleges yet,” Nguyen said. “I am still deciding what I want to major in. If I were to think about college, I would want to go to a school with strong academics, as well as a strong tennis team. I would like to be part of a tennis program where I could have a great team experience and be able to grow as a tennis player and as a person.”
Nguyen is coached by Chuck Kingman, Cam Jones, and Martel Campbell. He and his team are working on his groundstrokes and taking control of a point.
“I would describe my game as more of an aggressive baseliner or an all-court player,” Nguyen said. “My volleys are pretty good and I have a big forehand, so I like to use those frequently during matches. After years of practice, I have become good at taking the ball early and putting pace on the ball. My returns are also a strong part of my game, because I like to take the ball early and take time away from my opponents on their serve. I am left-handed, which allows me to take advantage of my slice serve that throws people off.”
His parents are Son Nguyen and Linh Lam. When Nguyen was 5, his dad introduced him to the sport of tennis by going to a public park and having him hit balls from a machine. He started in junior team tennis at the age of 8, and began playing tournaments when he turned 11.
“I believe Trevor zeroed in on tennis because he loved the game ever since he picked up a racket,” Nguyen’s parents said. “Trevor’s calm demeanor throughout the entire duration of a match keeps him focused. And, being a left-hander with quick hands helps.
“His good play last month was mostly due to the high level of competition. He had success winning some high-level matches in doubles, and close match results against higher-ranked singles players.”
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About James Hill
James Hill is the Assistant Sports Information Director at Trinity
University in San Antonio and a freelance writer. He has covered all
levels of tennis competition.
