Ariel Kelsick, a Tallulah Falls School junior, played this weekend in a USTA tournament. It marked the first time since 2019 that Kelsick played in a tournament. Not only did she compete, she won!
The tournament was held October 8-9 in Houston, TX. She competed in the Level 6, 12-18-year-old division at the Bay Area Racquet Club.
In the round-robin tournament, Kelsick won all four of her matches. She is a dual citizen from St. George, Antigua and Barbuda. Kelsick dominated, with her closest match in the tournament being a 6-3, 6-3 final.
“She’s been practicing a lot at our open courts since the start of the school year,” states head coach Anthony Cox. “The hard work is paying off. She hasn’t played in a tournament since 2019 due to COVID.”
Kelsick not only took on other opponents but battled herself as well.
“Not having played in a tournament in over two years, it was easy to confuse the excitement for nerves,” says Kelsick. “However, it was a great feeling being able to shake those jitters and have fun on the court, and in doing so, taking the win.”
