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06/02/2016 12:00 AMNick Cristante has been playing tennis and taking lessons for the past five years and his efforts have shown up on the court this spring as the freshman has won 10 matches for North Haven. Last week, Nick posted one of the biggest victories of his young high school career when he won in straight sets at No. 3 singles to help the Indians beat East Haven 4-3 in the SCC Division II Tournament quarterfinals.
“I played a senior today against East Haven and he was really tall, but I beat him 6-4, 6-0,” says Nick. “It was somewhat scary, but my teammates helped me by giving me some pointers and advice on how to play the specific teams, how they’re like, so it made me less nervous.”
Nick has primarily played the No. 3 singles position and he’s even seen some time at the No. 2 spot. Last summer, Nick played for a team in New Haven called New Heights and he believes that experience helped get him ready for his first school campaign.
“It was really fun and really got me in shape for this season,” says Nick. “It actually helped me a lot because I had great coaches. They all helped me out, gave me great feedback, and made me become a greater player.”
Nick has played singles throughout his career and feels that having the responsibility fall solely on his shoulders has strengthened his mental game.
“I’ve always played singles. I haven’t played doubles a lot, but it looks fun, but I like singles because you have to rely on yourself,” says Nick. “Just like my coach says, don’t worry about what the score is now; worry about what it can be later in the match. If I’m down 40-30, I know I only need another point to get deuce. I got this.”
Indians’ Head Coach Don Hurley notes that Nick has been the most reliable singles player on his roster this season and appreciates how the freshman’s playing style can make his opponents run out of gas.
“When we put Nick on the court, we know we’re in for a long match. Most of his matches average an hour-and-a-half, so he’s very perseverant,” says Hurley, whose team is competing in the Class L State Championship this week. “He returns everything and manages to get to most of the balls, so he wears his opponents down. He keeps pushing and, ultimately, he’s won 10 matches. When we get a win out of singles, it’s usually from Nick.”
Nick surely has a knack for covering his own end of the court, but believes that his serve is his best weapon out there.
“I think my serve is my strongest point because I’ve been working on it for a long time,” says Nick. “When I’m hitting it well, it’s hard for people to return it. Even if they do return it, my backhand is probably better than my forehand.”
Nick also joined North Haven’s cross country team last fall with hopes of getting in better shape for the tennis season. Nick feels that putting in the extra effort would cement him a place on the varsity roster, which it did.
“I worked really hard at tryouts because, right before the season started, that was my goal. I got there, played other people on my team, and my first match, I was placed on varsity,” says Nick. “I mostly play in the third spot now. It’s definitely a challenge playing other school’s seniors or juniors, but no matter the age, I know I can either beat them or give them a good challenge.”
With a full season of high school tennis under his belt, Nick says he’s learned a lot about how a squad can bond together and he’s looking forward to being part of the North Haven boys’ tennis program for the next three years.
“I learned a lot about sportsmanship because, obviously, tennis is a real mind game, so you can’t get down on yourself if you’re losing. You need to be nice to the other player,” says Nick. “My team is always a positive influence on me, so I have the most respect for them. My team is nice to me as they lift me and cheer me on.”