Freshman Esha Jadhav’s tennis journey started when she was six years old, after her parents signed her up for a Rec and Ed class at a neighborhood park. By the time she was eight, she had immersed herself in the world of competitive tennis, enrolling in a tennis club and playing tournaments on a regular basis. Players such as Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka fueled her drive to excel in the sport.
“I actually wanted to start playing tournaments earlier than eight, but my coach told me not to, because I was still too small or whatever, so I had to wait longer. My coaches have guided me a lot throughout my competitive tennis journey.”
She currently plays One Singles for Huron’s Varsity tennis team, but outside of school, she takes group lessons four days a week at Ann Arbor Tennis Academy, along with private lessons with Coach Pedja Rakic.
“You have to be like, mentally and physically present [at Ann Arbor Tennis Academy], because there’s so many other kids there who also play competitive tennis at a really high level,” Jadhav said. “So everyone there is just challenging each other to do their best. And it’s a really competitive environment there.”
However, Jadhav has also observed how toxicity often has a tendency to seep into the competitive nature of the sport.
“It’s such a frequent theme that’s been coming up recently; I’ve seen it a lot in the tournaments that I’ve played recently,” Jadhav said.”But even if we’re just doing 10 point tie-breaks during practices, these kids will do anything to win, including cheat.”
And while Esha acknowledges that this competitive environment pushes her to improve both physically and mentally as a player, she prefers the environment of high school tennis more.
“[In tournaments] you’re by yourself, and you’re trying to get to the finals, whereas in high school tennis,you have a team, and you can count on your team,” Jadhav said. “No matter what your result is, it’s like you also have your team that’s behind you, and I feel like it’s just like, good to know that. It’s very encouraging, and I feel like it’s very good motivation as well.”
To Jadhav, tennis had always been a stress relieving activity.
“It’s just like, kind of an escape from the outside world, and it’s just like, helps me. Just like, like, just ignore everything. On the court, I can be whoever I am.”
But since joining Huron’s tennis team, tennis has also become a teacher of broader life lessons.
“Tennis has also taught me how to be a leader. I need to be there for myself, but I also have a responsibility [to be there] for my team.”
She recounts how hearing Mr. Rodriguez – Huron’s assistant band director – talk about the work that went into organizing Bands in Review made her reflect on her tennis journey.
“It really made me think about how my parents do so much for me behind the scenes, before my matches, after my matches, driving me to my matches, taking me back. And then there’s Coach Lizzie. She organizes matches; she does everything. And then there’s every single individual on the team who shows up to the matches and does their best. I just feel like it’s all connected.”
Before Huron’s tennis season, nearly all of Jadhav’s weekends were spent travelling to tournaments, including ones in Chicago, Grand Rapids, Niles, and Hudsonville. She reached a top rank of 326 in the nation in the 12 and under age group in 2023.
“Well, obviously it’s very physically exhausting –you always feel sore the next day,” Jadhav said. “But it’s five times as mentally exhausting as it is physically.”
But Jadhav says that throughout the entire process, from getting prepared the nights before tournaments, to early mornings, to mental preparation, her family is endlessly supportive.
“They’re my number one supporters,” Jadhav said. “Both of my parents and my brother, they’re always there.”
Jadhav is currently ranked 760 nationally, 61 in the midwest, and 11 in Southeast Michigan in the USTA 14 National Seeding List. She hopes to play D1 tennis at the University of Florida.
