Seven Wausau girls make it to state tennis tournament

Alex Stewart
WAOW

Just a few months ago uncertainty surrounded the high school sports landscape.

“The whole summer we talked about is it on, is it off, the schedule itself, would we have to push girls’ tennis to the spring,” said Steve Wenninger the Wausau West Girls Tennis Head Coach.

But then the announcement, Fall sports were a go.

“When we were first notified it was like, 'whoa, we're still having the season? This is going to get canceled in a week.' but then it didn't,” said Becky Larrain a junior on the Newman Catholic tennis team.

And having a season meant that there would also be a state tournament.

“It's really exciting to know that we're having state especially with COVID going on,” said Natasha Bailey, a senior on the Wausau West girls’ tennis team. “I wasn't sure if it would be possible or not to have, but it is!”

Larrain and Bailey are just two of the seven girls from Wausau competing in the state tournament this week.

Bailey will be joined by three other teammates from Wausau West, while two others from the Newman squad will accompany Larrain.

The three girls making the trip with Bailey from West are Alexis Kloth, Katie Meyer and Anika Eder.

Bailey finds herself as the only senior of the quartet, but that provides an advantage for the other three.

Bailey has made the trip to state three other times and is now using her experience to help prepare the others.

“It's super fun going with the other girls, Katie, Anika and Alexis especially when they haven't been before,” said Bailey. “It's always super exciting and I think I can teach them to not be so nervous, because just making it to state is a great accomplishment for anyone.”

While West is led by a senior's experience, Newman's trio of Becky Larrain and sisters Grace and Ava Sukanen, will approach state by continuing to rally around a team motto they've had since the season started.

“Happy and healthy,” said Larrain. “Just trying our best no matter what happens. In the end we're lucky to have this season this year.”

A season that will crown it's champions starting this Thursday at the Lake Geneva Tennis Club.

See full story HERE.