Unionville tennis player Grace Li wins PIAA 3A singles tournament
KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. — Sixteen-year-old Grace Li has been playing tennis since she was 6 years old. This past fall, the Unionville High School (UHS) junior completed an undefeated girls’ tennis season by winning the PIAA 3A singles tournament, earning her the title of Pennsylvania State Girls Tennis Champion.
鈥淗aving played tennis practically my whole life, winning States definitely made all the sacrifices and challenges worth it!鈥� exclaims Grace, who was also named the 2022 Daily Local News Girls Tennis Player of the Year. 鈥淕etting to this position has been an incredibly memorable experience.鈥�
Last year, as a sophomore, Grace finished second in the state tournament. She says that motivated her even more to win this year. But being the first seed this year was not without its challenges. 鈥淚 felt like I had a target on my back,鈥� admits Grace. 鈥淚t was nerve-racking because, as the number one seed, I was expected to win.鈥�
One way Grace managed her nerves was to stick with her training ritual: Before every match, she ate the same food, listened to the same playlist, completed the same warm-up, and spent 5 minutes alone reviewing her notes. 鈥淭hese things help me get into the zone,鈥� she says. Another calming force for Grace was knowing she had the support of her family and teammates, who made the two-hour trip to the Hershey Racquet Club for the championship tournament.
After a less-than-perfect start, Grace settled in and played her game: consistent and aggressive. 鈥淚 knew it was going to be difficult, but I breathed through it and was able to focus,鈥� she reveals.
According to UHS head coach Janet Johnston, in addition to having a strong serve and baseline game, Grace鈥檚 strongest weapon is her even-tempered personality. 鈥淪he never gets too high or too low.鈥�
Outside of high school tennis, Grace is making a name for herself on the junior tennis circuit, where she is currently ranked third in Pennsylvania, 14th in the Middle Atlantic region, and 56th in the nation, according to tennisrecruiting.net (at the time this article was written). She recently verbally committed to play D1 tennis at the United States Naval Academy.
鈥淭ennis is like a puzzle that requires you to figure things out yourself,鈥� believes Grace. 鈥淚 love that it鈥檚 an untimed game; there鈥檚 always time to come back and win.鈥�
This is an unedited user writing submission. The views, information, or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Best Version Media or its employees.