PORTLAND
Mt. Ararat High School senior Peter Mao spent the last three seasons watching former Eagles tennis teammate Nick Mathieu advance to the Maine Principals Association Schoolboys tennis title match.
This year, the Cornell University bound Mao had his chance and he ran with it, moving through the talented field and into Monday’s semifinal at the Racket & Fitness Center.
Facing top-seeded Nick Forester of Falmouth, Mao battled tooth and nail through a closer than the score shows first set, falling 6-1. The second set ended in similar fashion, with Forester advancing to the afternoon final with a 6-1, 6-1 victory.
“It was really close, it was just a couple shots that made the difference,” said Mao of the opening set, which featured four deuce games, each won by Forester. “I am really happy that I got here. The other years, I had the honor of losing to some of the top seeds.”
“It was tight. Those first four games took around 30 minutes,” said Forester, who went on to win the title on Monday with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Falmouth teammate and third-seeded Alex Klemperer. “Those games were absolutely crucial that I won, knowing that I had to get off to a quick start today.”
The opening game featured three deuces and two break chances for Mao. However, Forester drove a winner past Mao to end the game for a 1-0 lead.
Mao’s first service game went two deuces, with Forester forcing a Mao error for a key break.
Down 3-0, Mao had a strong service game to get on the board, but Forester won two more long games before serving out the opening set.
A key for Forester was his ability to lob over Mao, who routinely came to the net.
“I watched him play in the quarterfinal match, and I noticed that he closes on the net really quick,” said Forester. “He has such a long wingspan, and it was going to be tough to pass him when he came to the net. I decided that the lob would back him up and it worked.”
Mao opened the second set by holding serve. Forester answered, then broke Mao to go up 2-1. Mao suffered from an injured back in his quarterfinal three-set win over No. 5 Thorne Kieffer of Waynflete on Saturday. Mao took an injury timeout midway through the second set, but for a different issue.
“Today the back wasn’t an issue, it was blisters,” said Mao.
Forester held for a 3-1 lead before breaking Mao again. Two games later, the match was over.
Despite the loss, the high school tennis season is far from over for Mao. The Eagles’ No. 1 singles player will lead Mt. Ararat, the No. 3 seed in Class A North, against “Battle of the Bridge” rival Brunswick in the team quarterfinals on Thursday (4 p.m.).
“I am looking forward to getting back into the team environment,” Mao said.
Early action
The opening round of the tournament began on Friday at Deering Oaks Park, with Freeport’s Wes Goodwin knocking off Caribou’s Gabe Rand, 6-2, 6-0.
Forester ended Goodwin’s hopes in the second round, 6-0, 6-2, while Mao opened play with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Charlie O’Brien of Camden Hills.
Also in the second round, Freeport’s Clay Canterbury eliminated Abe LeMole of Oceanside, 6-0, 6-4.
Due to inclement weather, the Round of 16 and quarterfinals were moved indoors to the Racket & Fitness Center. Mao rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Yarmouth’s William Nicholas, while Canterbury was defeated by Klemperer, 6-0, 6-4.
Mao captured a tough 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win over Kieffer in the quarterfinals.
Girls
The girls draw featured a pair of Brunswick players.
In the opening round, Lea Scrapchansky knocked off Karina Boothe of Portland, 6-2, 6-3 to move on.
Later on Friday, Anna Parker played her first match, winning a second-round contest, 6-2, 6-4, against Sarah McKnight of Gorham. Scrapchansky was not as fortunate, dropping a 6-2, 7-5 tussle to Falmouth’s Meredith Kelley.
Parker faced second-seeded Grace Campanella of Kennebunk/Wells in the Round of 16, falling 6-0, 6-0.
On Monday, sisters Grace and Rosemary Campanella advanced to the schoolgirls final, with sophomore Grace Campanella winning the title, 6-2, 6-4.
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