Girls Tennis: Niwot's Yu, Silver Creek's Emerson preparing for regional title duel
May 3—When Silver Creek senior Mimi Emerson and Niwot junior Tracy Yu take to the tennis courts at Niwot High School on Thursday morning, both will be playing with the knowledge that they're going to the Class 4A state tournament.
On Wednesday, through the first few rounds of the Class 4A Region 5 tournament, both ladies did just enough to earn their way into the No. 3 singles finals, which will begin for all seven lines at 8 a.m. That relieves any burden Yu may have felt in her lone match on the first day of the competition.
"I think it definitely means a lot and I can relax a little more tomorrow, just knowing that I'm still going to state," she said.
In CHSAA's new format this year, individual and team competitions are separated by the dual tournament and the old-school, individual tournament. Class 4A will be headed to Pueblo next week to compete for individual state glory. Last week, Niwot bowed out of the dual tournament with a loss to Thompson Valley.
Both Yu and Emerson shed their doubles partners of old to step into the singles spotlight. They seem to be adjusting to the added cardio and heightened level of competition just fine.
"I'm super proud of myself because I've been working for 1 singles for two years," Emerson said. "Last year, I got it for a match and then someone challenged me and I went back down to 1 doubles. I definitely love playing doubles, but it's something that I've always wanted to do, so it's really exciting for me."
Both ladies lauded their serves, believing that to be the strongest part of their own individual games, as they've taken this season to get used to the mental strain that often accompanies singles play.
Yu felt that pressure on Wednesday.
"My coaches and my parents have given me a lot of advice," Yu said. "My first match today, in the second set, I got really mental. And then I pulled my coach, I just called him over and he was like, 'Just think of anything but tennis and distract yourself and find the momentum.'"
With a state qualification already in hand, all Yu has to do now is find a way to take down Emerson when they meet up for one last match before state. Emerson, for her part, looks forward to seeing what her entire Raptors squad can accomplish.
"I think I'm just more excited because we have five of our teams in finals," she said. "Being able to go with my team is super exciting and having them with me."
