HELENA — The divisional tennis tournament starts Thursday and Capitals' 1 singles Ryan Ashley is entering the tournament undefeated.
He attributes his winning season to his coaches.
“Practicing strategy with my coaches, and just working on repetition to get consistency with my shots,” Ashley said.
As a freshman, Ashley was the 2021 divisional champion and placed fourth at State, but he still feels he can do more.
“I know I can improve from there. Because everyone above me last year was a senior, so I think I can place pretty high and state,” he said.
His undefeated ways have impressed other tennis players in town. Helena High tennis player Will Johnson calls his game against Ashley his proudest moment.
“I played with the Capitals' Number one, Ryan Ashley, who's really good. And I was able to bring him to a third set, tie break, and I'm the only player to do so this year. So that was a really cool experience for me. And that was, I would say, my biggest success thus far,” Johnson said.
Even his own teammates are hoping to beat him in the divisional tournament.
“He's good. He's really good. I just got to really what I tell myself is to make him hit another shot, like keep it deep and don't give him anything but make sure that I just stay consistent against him. And he's not unbeatable. i And? Yeah, just keeping the point,” teammate Ashton Shipley said.
Boys divisional singles will be played at Helena's Lockey Park starting Thursday.
