Ballantyne Ridge girls tennis team wraps up its inaugural season
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Congratulations to the Ballantyne Ridge High School women’s tennis team on successfully completing their debut season. They wrapped up their fall season in October with a record of 9-9 and 7-5 in the SoMeck 4A conference.
“We had a very nice season finishing with nine wins, nine losses in an extremely tough conference,” says Coach Phil Goldberg. Some of their opponents included the varsity teams at Myers Park, Ardrey Kell, South Meck, Charlotte Catholic and Providence High Schools. Being a brand-new high school, there is no senior class, and therefore the team skews young. But they held their own against their older opponents.
Coach Goldberg reflects, “The biggest thing I noticed with this team was the unity. Most of these girls did not know each other very well, and then as the season went on this team was very unified and they supported each other.”
Their #1 player is sophomore Eva Tiwari. “Eva is a very good player. She hits a very strong ball,” Coach Goldberg says.
Meet their #2 player, Aleena Farooqi, the team’s highest ranked freshman. “She’s competitive, and she never waivers. She’s very focused,” Coach Goldberg says.
Meet Freshman BRHS Tennis Player Aleena Farooqi:
What are you proud of this season?
Aleena Farooqi: I am proud of how I performed and that I showed up to every single match and give it my best.
What do you love about tennis?
Farooqi: I love how you control how well you do and only rely on yourself and how well you do. The idea of the sport is also very likable and fun to watch.
What are your future goals?
Farooqi: My future goal is to play professionally one day at Wimbledon.
What’s your favorite way to unwind after a match or a busy day?
Farooqi: I usually listen to music or watch my favorite show after a long match. I also really enjoy working out at the gym as my form of therapy.
If you could recommend a recent book you’ve read, what would it be?
Farooqi: If I had to recommend a book, I would say Things Fall Apart because the story line is very interesting to learn about.
If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be?
Farooqi: I would love to go to Italy.
The team is coached by Phil Goldberg, who coached tennis at Charlotte Country Day School for 11 years as both the JV Girls Tennis Team Head Coach and the Varsity Boys Tennis Team Assistant Coach. Notably, he coached under Calvin Davis, legendary NC Hall of Fame Tennis Coach, and was a USTA official for 5 years. He lives in Matthews with his family.
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