Junior Amiya Bowles won the girls tennis state championship Oct. 18 for the third time with scores of 6-4, 6-1.
Bowles said she started the tournament with a 7-6 win during the semifinals against Cincinnati Indian Hill’s Martha Thomas. The match lasted three and a half hours, she added.
She had an hour break, and even though she was drained and her legs were shaking, she had one more match left, Bowles explained.
“I got some Jersey Mikes and a smoothie,” she said. “Then, I stretched in the parking lot.”
In the final against Pepper Pike Orange player Genevieve Hayden, Bowles clinched the state title.
Bowles said she was proud of her comeback after the close semifinal match.
“I knew what was ahead, and I knew I had to stay focused and lock in,” she explained. “It was a big moment, and I’m glad I came out on top.”
Bowles ended the regular season with a 16-0 record, making her overall high school record 56- 0. She explained she didn’t play as many games this season due to having individual tournaments throughout the year.
Bowles said during the season, she mainly practiced with her dad to put more hours in and get more comfortable with her skills.
“My dad coaching me has helped me understand the game better and all the different playing styles there are,” she said.
Bowles spent months training and mentally preparing to go to state championships with her team and family, she explained. Her teammates were a major reason for her success and confidence, she said.
She pushed through the challenges with her injuries, school and training harder than the last two years, she added.
As she was getting ready for the final match, Bowles said she walked in with a strong mindset: she knew she would have to take everything step-by-step.
“I was feeling confident going into the match,” she explained. “And my mindset definitely was, one point at a time.”
Bowles added she felt pressure, but she knew if she could learn from her earlier experiences against these players, she could use her knowledge of the sport to gain an upper hand against them.
“It was challenging, because it was something I had looked forward to for so long,” Bowles explained. “But compared to last year mentally, I knew it was a big deal getting a third and having a place in history. I’m just overall proud of how I was able to stay focused and get the job done.”
While Bowles worked hard on and off the court, she is thankful for her supporters for coming and watching her, she added.
“My parents are my support system and they really have my back,” she said.
She explained they gave her positive reinforcement, kept her out of her head and made sure she was on top of things.
Bowles said her goals for the future are to get even better and finish off her high school career with a fourth championship win before continuing her career and moving on to college.
“I am talking to a few colleges now,” she said. “I definitely want to play college tennis, and that’s something I’m looking forward to. I’m really excited for the process that’s going on.”
