Interview with SHS Tennis Player Claire Sullivan

Welcome to the Fall Edition of Off the Reels! Follow along each week for my behind the scenes interviews with some of the top fall athletes at Springboro High School. To kick off the Fall Edition, I sat down with one of my teammates and a fellow Captain. 

Meet Springboro High School Tennis Captain Claire Sullivan… 

Tennis story:

Soccer was one of the first sports Claire played, and she quit when she was eight years old. Always wanting to be an athlete, Claire decided to pick up another sport. Tennis ran in the family, as her mom and uncle both played, and that was all the convincing Claire needed to give it a shot! Since then, Claire has competed for the Panthers and as an individual. When she plays for the Panthers, Claire can be found at first doubles crushing her opponents with her net game. This is Claire’s fourth year as a Varsity player, and she is a two-time district qualifier. 

High School match Claire is most proud of:

Claire is most proud of winning a really tough match during her sophomore season. It was a doubles match against a duo from Beavercreek that had qualified for districts three times. Claire and her partner competed hard in a three set match for three straight hours. Another reason Claire is proud of this match is because she hit the winning shot!

What Claire is going to miss about playing for the Panthers:

One of Claire’s favorite things about playing for the Panthers is the tournaments. She always looks forward to going to tournaments because they unite the team. Anyone who’s seen Claire play knows that she’s the cheerleader of the team and is there to keep spirits up during tough matches. In her words, “the tournaments are always fun because you get to just go there with your team and cheer them on.”

Why Claire loves doubles:

For the Panthers and in individual competition, Claire is typically a doubles player. Claire is not afraid to be aggressive at the net; her success comes from her confidence and lack of fear. Doubles is very interactive and fast-paced, and Claire loves that and thrives in that situation. No matter the match, she doesn’t give up. 

How tennis has changed Claire’s life off the court:

Tennis has been such a big part of Claire’s life on and off the court. Off the court, it has strengthened her relationship with her family. Thanks to tennis, Claire has been able to bond more with her grandparents who love the sport because their children played. Her grandpa’s sister also played tennis and gifted Claire a tennis racket necklace that she wears as her good luck charm. 

How Claire stays mentally strong:

All sports demand a strong mental game, but in tennis especially, you’re playing yourself just as much as you are your opponent. Claire stays mentally strong throughout her matches by staying intense. When she loses a point, she immediately shifts her focus to how she can win the next point. Claire is also loud on the court to keep her and her partner pumped up. 

Professional player that Claire looks up to:

The professional player that Claire looks up to the most is Coco Gauff. At just 17 years old, Gauff has made history. She is the youngest player to rank in the top 100 women’s tennis players in the world. To sum it all up, Claire looks up to Coco “because she’s just so young and so determined.” Claire also watched a lot of the US Open these past few weeks and was inspired by all the young athletes working towards the finals. 

Claire’s signature shot:

Claire’s signature shot is her volley. She loves volleying because “you just can put the ball away.” If you’ve ever had the opportunity to watch her play, I think you’d agree!

Something most people don’t know about tennis:

“If it’s on the line, it’s in,” Claire said with a laugh! On a more serious note, most people don’t know that the players are the refs and umpires in tennis. This adds a whole other level to the game. Claire also mentioned that people don’t always know that tennis is played on score rather than time.

Claire’s plans after high school:

After Claire graduates this May, she will be attending Wittenberg University where she’s going to continue her tennis career!

Claire’s advice for tennis players:
Claire’s advice for other tennis players is short and simple but so important: “give it your all…go for your shots!”