Region girls tennis: Freshman Ritter wins singles title despite broken toe

NEWPORT NEWS

What bad foot? 

Despite a broken toe , First Colonial’s Alex Ritter downed Ocean Lakes’ Kathleen Dawson 6-3, 6-2 in Tuesday’s Eastern Region final at Centre Court Indoor Tennis Club. 

Ritter became the first freshman to win the singles title since Cox’s Michele Fanney did it six years ago. 

On Friday, Ritter sat with her foot propped up in a boot and watched the Patriots’ region team final against the Falcons, nursing a broken left toe she didn’t learn about until late Thursday. The recommended remedy was two weeks of rest, but Ritter couldn’t pass on the opportunity to win the region title, and even her doctor couldn’t argue with the methodical way she did it. 

In her three matches, Ritter dropped just eight games. This season, Ritter has lost only one set. 

“I was trying to finish the points quickly,” Ritter said. “I wanted to keep this as short as possible so I could get off the court and ice it.” 

Short rallies are hardly the nature of players who have groundstrokes as strong as Ritter’s and Dawson’s. But the Patriot proved the aggressor, particularly in the second set, when she won 15 of 16 points after trailing 2-1. 

“I tried a lot of different stuff, but I got tired,” Dawson said . 

Ritter, who punctuated the match with a backhand volley winner, said the victory was particularly satisfying given her newness to high school tennis. 

“I didn’t even think I was going to play high school,” she said. “But my teammates have made it really fun.” 

Cox’s Faith Atiso and Jenny Lee teamed to win their first doubles title over Maury’s Stephanie Oswald and Erin Godbout 6-3, 6-2. Rain forced all of Tuesday’s matches indoors. 

Ritter and Dawson advance to the Group AAA state individual tournament on June 5 at Jefferson District Park in Falls Church. Ritter will play the Northwest Region runner-up; Dawson will play the Northwest champion. Dawson, a sophomore, is the first female player from Ocean Lakes to advance to the state tournament. The Northwest will complete its tournament Thursday. 

Both doubles teams also advance against the Central Region’s top two.

COX'S IAN FRASER BREEZES TO BOYS SINGLES TITLE