Athletes of the Week: Boys' Tennis

By Michael Yang and Ethan Klein

Boys’ tennis, like many other teams this spring, is back and ready for interscholastic games and matches. The vision for a competitive season started early this fall with off-season practices making up for the time lost last spring. This year, the team is led by senior captains Jacob Feigenberg, James Manderlink and Tony Xiao and head coach Will Abisalih. 

Xiao started playing the sport at a young age. “I started playing tennis in elementary school. At the most basic level, at first tennis was just about hitting a ball and trying to get it in, but as I got better, it became so much more than that.”

Feigenberg was introduced to the sport by his mother. “I was introduced to tennis around 10 years ago by my mom. She was playing at the time and signed me up for my first lesson and that was that. 10 years later and I’m still playing and loving the game more than ever.”

Feigenberg continued about his passion for tennis. “Sports and competition have always been a really big part of my life. Ever since I can remember I’ve played as a part of a team whether it was soccer, baseball, squash or tennis. One of the reasons I have stuck with tennis so long is it’s variability. It’s a sport anyone can play at anytime in their life and I think that’s special.”

Xiao reflected on what the sport is about specific to his experiences. “Tennis is about grit, footwork, skills, athleticism, strategy, and teamwork (when you’re playing a doubles match), and all of a sudden it was very hard work, and during every practice I would sweat like crazy,” he said. “There are so many variations in the game, so many creative shots that I can make, and that makes each match very exciting and very unique. There is also a simple pleasure in just running around the court chasing after a ball, trying to outsmart your opponent. All of this made me continue playing tennis ever since.”

Feigenberg talked about his experience playing with the team at Exeter. “While going to a boarding school such as Exeter, the ability to continue playing a sport outside of school is pretty difficult. It has definitely been something that has confined me to playing in season or over the summer, but some of my favorite memories come from my time here over the last few years.”

Xiao added to Feigenberg’s words about playing with the school team. “Exeter is the place where I played in a team for the first time, and I absolutely loved it. As I mentioned before, some of my closest friends are on the tennis team. I think there is a very natural, very genuine bond that forms when people play tennis together, and that connection is something that I greatly value out of my experience in Exeter tennis.”

Manderlink praised his two co-captains. “Tony is definitely a quiet leader who works hard all the time. It's great having a role model like him who always keeps a level head and that you can count on to work hard every day,” He continued onto Jacob, “Jacob is also a hard worker and when he's not in the trainers we can always count on him to have a good time out on the courts.”

Upper teammate Peter Roth complimented Manderlink. “James is the most hard-working member of the team and really does a good job of providing an example for the rest of us to follow.”

“Team captains James, Jacob, and Tony are not only naturally talented tennis players, they also work hard to continually improve their game and encourage the rest of the team to do so as well. They are serious in the task at hand but are also fun guys between sets and off the courts,” upper teammate Chaz Cordle said. 

“They consistently are working hard and motivating us as a team. They are easy to get along with and are fun to be around. They are figures you can look up to while also being friends you can talk to. They keep the team working hard and motivated by establishing an environment of respect, and they always lead through example. They push us by working hard themselves,” upper teammate Ben Vigneri added. 

Cordle explained how the captains have led the team through these challenging times. “They work hard and have fun without focusing on the negative. They have great connections with the new coaches, and they seem to communicate a lot of feedback to the coaches about our practices, which, in general, helps the team’s overall morale, motivation, and efficiency throughout the season.”

Cordle expands on the leadership of the captains, “They show a very strong passion for tennis, and their displays of this on the court helps excite the competitive nature of the rest of the team,” Cordle said. 

“As captains, we have worked towards fostering a positive environment where we can all learn from each other, grow, and have fun. One way we have tried to keep the team motivated is by leading by example. If we give our best effort and best attitude every day, it becomes contagious and soon the rest of the team will follow,” Manderlink said. 

“It’s a great honor to lead the team, especially in such a challenging time for everyone. I’ve been trying to get to know the people on the team on a more personal level, so that they would feel comfortable and motivated within the team atmosphere,” Xiao said. 

Feigenberg added, “Being a captain of this team is special. I remember when I arrived here my lower year, I really looked up to my captains. I always told myself that if I get to that point and get elected captain, I’d want to have the same effect on at least one person. That is definitely a bit more difficult this season but Jacob, Tony and I look forward to leading this team through matches and can’t wait to play Andover one last time.” 

Manderlink along with fellow co-captains have made the most out of this year. “It was a season we all looked really forward to and losing that was definitely a big blow. Us captains (and seniors in general) have definitely worked to make up for that lost season,” Manderlink said. 

Roth added, “for last year’s season, COVID entirely cut it out, which was quite unfortunate. However, in fall we had off-season tennis, which was nice.”

“It is way easier to be socially distant from other players in tennis than most other team sports, so other than a few minor adjustments to ball handling and some mask wearing, many things have not changed. However, as for the season, it is a bit of a downer that we can’t play as many matches against other schools as we normally would. Practice is fun but winning as a team is much more satisfying and we will be missing out on some of that,” Cordle said. 

Manderlink looks to the season with optimism. “We are still working towards maximizing our time on the team but it has been very refreshing and exciting to get back out on the courts.”

Xiao concluded with the impact Exeter tennis has had on him. “Exeter tennis has introduced me to a group of very funny and very motivated people, many of whom have become my closest friends. It has also provided me a chance to go outside every day, exercise, and meet different people. It is a very fun, very stress-relieving, and a much-needed activity for me, especially amidst the heavy workload in Exeter.”

All three of the captains have left a strong impact both on the court and on campus throughout their time at Exeter, and the opportunity they have this spring to lead their team one last time will leave a strong impression on all members of the team.