When the Class 2 state singles tennis tournament commences in Springfield Friday, one player who is returning to the Cooper Tennis Complex will be looking for more than she earned last year.
But this trip isn't about redemption, it's simply about a player going out to show how her game has improved in the last 365 days.
For Timberland senior Savannah Drew, who finished fourth in Class 2 in 2010, this tournament is about playing as best as she possibly can.
"I really have to think of this as just another tournament," Drew said. "I really don't think of this as being the last time for high school tennis. I do feel some pressure. I feel like if you go to state, you should at least try and do better than what you did the year before because you should have gotten better."
So for Drew, improving upon last season's 4-6, 6-0, 7-5 loss to Michelle Royal of Park Hills South in the Class 2 third place match, is the goal.
One aspect of how Drew now approaches the game should serve her well.
There will be no boning up on the field ahead of Friday. Drew is just going to go out and play tennis the way she knows how.
Even though she is likely to get a favorable draw, it's not something Drew will lose a lot of sleep over trying to find out about.
"I feel like I have improved so much," Drew said. "I have played in a lot of tournaments and a lot over the summer. I have to focus on my game. I really won't even know who I play against until right before we take the court. I just want to worry about my game and playing the way I know I can."
If the sectional round is any indication, Drew is on top of her game.
She won the Class 2 Sectional 4 title with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Risa Takenaka of Howell North.
Drew said that when she looks at Takenaka and the way she plays, she sees the future of GAC tennis.
"Risa played really well and sectionals was the toughest match I've had all season," Drew said. "She is definitely one for (people) to look forward in the future."
Other singles qualifiers from the sectional were Hannah M. Wille of Parkway Central and Morgan Roberts of Fort Zumwalt South. Wille defeated Roberts 6-0, 6-0 in their final match at the sectional.
On the doubles side, the Francis Howell team of Allison and Erin Barker and the duo of Malvika Sampath and Joy Liu Yang from Parkway Central qualified for the state doubles tournament, which will also be held at Cooper this weekend.
The first round of both the singles and doubles tournaments will start Friday at 9 a.m. and will conclude with the championship rounds Saturday afternoon.
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