Bahrain’s Carson Owens stands ready just behind the net, anticipating the ball’s trajectory, as Stuttgart’s Zachary Call hits at the DODEA European tennis championships at T2 Sports Health Club in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Oct. 21, 2023. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
WIESBADEN, Germany – Keeping with the near flawless form they’ve shown all season, Ramstein’s Tristan Chandler and Kaiserslautern’s Stella Schmitz dominated their matches Saturday to defend their 2022 single titles.
Kaiserslautern’s unflappable pair of Abby Hover and Alisa Dietzel also won their second consecutive girls doubles crown.
The victories ensured undefeated records for three of the four top seeds in the DODEA European tennis championships, played on the soft carpeted courts inside the T2 Sports Health Club.
But Stuttgart, the top seed in boys doubles, bowed out early, as the two freshmen from Naples made an unexpected run at a title.
In the semifinals Saturday morning, the Wildcats’ Tavi Shah and Kai Baraniak took down Zachary Call and Hunter Leslie-Persons, 6-2, 6-4. The win set up a rematch with Ramstein twins, Sean and Eric Kim, who came into the tournament as the No. 2 seed. The Kim brothers beat Shah and Baraniak earlier in the week in group play, 8-6.
The rematch was a nail-biter. Ramstein won the first set, 6-3, but Naples roared back for a 6-4 second-set victory to set up the tiebreaker.
The Wildcats faltered in the third set, hitting some balls into the net, perhaps a sign of fatigue in their second hard-fought match of the day. The Kims, meanwhile, only seemed to get stronger, outlasting Shah and Baraniak in rallies that went to deuce several times. They were particularly strong at the net, taking the third set, 6-1.
Eric Kim said he and Sean expected the Wildcats to lob the ball more, like they had in group play. “But today, they were a lot more aggressive getting on top of the ball; it was messing with the tempo a bit,” he said.
The victory was extra sweet for the Ramstein seniors, who were determined to get the title in doubles a year after finishing fourth in Europeans.
“Relieved,” is how Eric Kim described his feelings.
Ramstein’s Eric Kim steps forward, poised to strike the ball, as he competes in a doubles match alongside his brother, Sean Kim, against Naples’ Kai Barania and Tavi Shah during the DODEA European tennis championships at T2 Sports Health Club in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Oct. 21, 2023. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Wiesbaden’s Bella Rainey confidently swings to connect with the ball as she and teammate Samaire Fleming challenge Vicenza’s dynamic duo, Addie Wilson and Annika Svenson, during the DODEA European tennis championships at T2 Sports Health Club in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Oct. 21, 2023. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Stuttgart’s Hunter Leslie-Persons, teamed with Zachary Call, delivers a precise serve against Bahrain’s duo, Carson Owens and Matthew Mendoza, during the DODEA European tennis championships at T2 Sports Health Club in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Oct. 21, 2023. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Vicenza athletes Ava Parker, left, and Sarah McGovern pen their autograph on a fellow student’s tournament t-shirt during the DODEA European tennis championships at T2 Sports Health Club in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Oct. 21, 2023. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Stuttgart’s Isabel Williams takes a powerful swing against her opponent, Vicenza’s Delia Gordon, during the DODEA European tennis championships at T2 Sports Health Club in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Oct. 21, 2023. Williams contended with a hand injury and ultimately fell to Gordon in the third place match. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Vicenza’s Delia Gordon delivers a focused serve against her opponent, Isabel Williams, during the DODEA European tennis championships at T2 Sports Health Club in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Oct. 21, 2023. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
The boys singles was less of a slog and more a display of Chandler’s strength and finesse, as the junior won in short order, 6-1, 6-0 with tight baseline shots and a powerful serve.
Chandler beat Kaiserslautern’s Jace Martin, the second seed who went nearly three hours on Friday against Vicenza’s Sam Grady to earn a spot in the finals.
“I feel like I was putting the shots where I wanted them,” Chandler said after the match. “I felt really confident in my shots; serves were definitely a huge plus there. I felt like I was playing highly aggressive.”
Chandler didn’t get the rematch he was hoping for against Marymount’s Leonardo Proietti, who was not at this year’s tournament. Chandler squeaked out a victory against Proietti in 2022 in an epic battle that lasted nearly three hours.
“I was really excited about playing him again, especially since he made a statement that he was going to beat me this year,” Chandler said of Proietti. “I was looking forward to that match.”
The duo could have one more chance to face off next year, when Chandler and Proietti will be seniors.
Kaiserslautern’s Schmitz also has one more year of high school left. The Raider junior is making the most of her scholastic career so far. Schmitz beat the No. 2 seed, Sigonella’s Charlize Caro, 6-0, 6-0, for her second consecutive European singles title.
Schmitz said she made great strides this year, improving her serve and her forehand. Last week, she worked with her dad, who also coaches her, on serving in preparation for Europeans. “We were like, (my) serves are OK, but we want to get them better,” she said.
Schmitz knocked out a few aces in the title match and hit powerful shots that often sailed just out of Caro’s reach.
Schmitz leaned on advice from her older sister, Aiva, who plays Division I tennis at the University of Minnesota and was a three-time DODEA European singles champion.
“She always says, ‘Just play your game, enjoy your moment. These are the high school years, enjoy every second of it,’” she said.
Kaiserslautern’s Abby Hover launches into a serve at the baseline while teammate Alisa Dietzel readies herself for the next move during their doubles match against Vicenza’s Annika Svenson and Addie Wilson, at the DODEA European tennis championships at T2 Sports Health Club in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Oct. 21, 2023. Kaiserslautern bested Vicenza for the first place in the girls double tournament. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Ramstein’s Sean Kim strikes the ball at the corner back to Naples’ Kai Barania and Tavi Shah at the DODEA European tennis championships at T2 Sports Health Club in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Oct. 21, 2023. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Ramstein’s Sean Kim lunges for the ball close to the net, during an intense match against Naples’ formidable duo, Kai Barania and Tavi Shah. Teaming with his brother Eric, the doubles showdown was a highlight of the DODEA European tennis championships at T2 Sports Health Club in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Oct. 21, 2023. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
After a fierce contest on the courts, Ramstein’s Kim brothers, Eric and Sean, share a moment of sportsmanship with a high five after their win against Naples’ dynamic duo, Kai Barania and Tavi Shah at the DODEA European tennis championships at T2 Sports Health Club in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Oct. 21, 2023. The Kims bested all teams for the overall first place in the boys double. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Kaiserslautern’s Jace Martin, left, and Ramstein’s Tristan Chandler shake hands across the net following their intense boys singles match at the DODEA European tennis championships at T2 Sports Health Club in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Oct. 21, 2023. While Chandler emerged victorious, defending his title for the second time. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Stuttgart’s Zachary Call leaps to intercept the ball during a doubles match against Naples’ Kai Barania and Tavi Shah with his partner Hunter Leslie-Persons at the DODEA European tennis championships at T2 Sports Health Club in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Oct. 21, 2023. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Vicenza’s Annika Svenson, right, delivers a sharp serve as her partner Addie Wilson readies herself against Kaiserslautern’s Alisa Dietzel and Abby Hover during the DODEA European tennis championships at T2 Sports Health Club in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Oct. 21, 2023. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Naples’ Tavi Shah launches into a powerful serve against Stuttgart’s Zachary Call during the DODEA European tennis championships at T2 Sports Health Club in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Oct. 21, 2023. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Schmitz’s teammates, Hover and Dietzel, lived up to their No. 1 billing in girls’ doubles with a 6-2, 6-0 win in the finals against the No. 2 seed Annika Svenson and Addie Wilson of Vicenza.
Svenson and Wilson earned a spot in the finals after just missing out last year with a hard-fought semifinals loss against Stuttgart sisters Devin and Kiera French. Hover and Dietzel went on to beat Stuttgart last year and sailed through this season undefeated.
Despite that track record, the Raider juniors were a bundle of nerves before the finals Saturday.
“It was so nerve-wracking going into that, but here we are,” said Hover, who now has three doubles titles to her name. As a freshman, she teamed with Stella Schmitz to win the title for Kaiserslautern.
The talented pair said one of their biggest strengths is communication, “which is always a big thing in doubles,” Hover said.
“We’re close friends … so it’s just easy,” Dietzel said.
SHAPE’s Alejandro Cuesta reaches a swiftly moving ball with a backhand during his intense match for third place boys singles against Sam Grady at the DODEA European tennis championships at T2 Sports Health Club in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Oct. 21, 2023. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Kaiserslautern’s Alisa Dietzel and Abby Hover share a celebratory high five during their victorious doubles match against Vicenza’s Annika Svenson and Addie Wilson at the DODEA European tennis championships at T2 Sports Health Club in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Oct. 21, 2023. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
After a hard-fought singles match, SHAPE’s Alejandro Cuesta offers his congratulations across the net to Vicenza’s Sam Grady, who secured third place by besting Cuesta during the DODEA European tennis championships at T2 Sports Health Club in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Oct. 21, 2023. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Wiesbaden’s Samaire Fleming lunges with determination to reach a fast-moving ball during a doubles match, teaming with Bella Rainey, against Vicenza’s Ava Parker and Sarah McGovern, at the DODEA European tennis championships at T2 Sports Health Club in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Oct. 21, 2023. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Kaiserslautern’s Alisa Dietzel positions herself at the baseline, poised to unleash a powerful backhand against Vicenza opponents, Ava Parker and Sarah McGovern, keenly anticipate her next move during the DODEA European tennis championships at T2 Sports Health Club in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Oct. 21, 2023. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
DODEA-Europe Tennis Championships
Saturday at Wiesbaden
Boys
Singles
Championship
Tristan Chandler (Ramstein) def. Jace Martin (Kaiserslautern) 6-1, 6-0.
Doubles
Semifinals
Tavi Shah/Kai Baraniak (Vicenza) def. Zachary Call/Hunter Leslie-Persons (Stuttgart) 6-2, 6-4; Eric Kim and Sean Kim (Ramstein) def. Matthew Mendoza/Carson Owens (Bahrain) 6-0, 6-0.
Championship
E.K.im/S.Kim def. Shah Baraniak 6-3, 4-6, 6-1.
Girls
Singles
Championship
Stella Schmitz (Kaiserslautern) def. Charlize Caro (Sigonella) 6-0, 6-0.
Doubles
Semifinals
Annika Svenson/Addie Wilson (Vicenza) def. Sarah McGovern/Ava Parker (Vicenza) 6-4, 6-1; Alisa Dietzel/Abby Hover (Kaiserslautern) def. Bella Rainey/Samaire Fleming (Wiesbaden) 6-0, 6-0.
Championship
Dietzel/Hover def. Svenson/Wilson 6-2, 6-0.