South Side's Davoudiasl, Shenker win Nassau girls doubles title
South Side's Deana Davoudiasil, left, and Rachel Shenker embrace after their victory over Roslyn's Melissa Edelblum and Paige Mintz in the Nassau girls doubles championship. (Oct. 17, 2010) Credit: James Escher
There wasn't much practice time during the regular season for South Side's doubles team of Deana Davoudiasl and Rachel Shenker.
That's because the two spent the regular season as singles players for the Cyclones.
The decision to become a doubles team paid off as the unseeded pair overcame a 4-0 deficit in the final set to defeat Roslyn's top-seeded duo of Melissa Edelblum and Paige Mintz, 5-7, 7-5, 6-4, for the Nassau County girls doubles championship Sunday at Oceanside.
So why the switch to doubles?
"It's always a tough draw in the singles," Shenker said. "But we decided this year, we're best friends, and we played so well during the season as singles . . . We can do this."
Davoudiasl and Shenker squeezed in as much time together practicing doubles as they could during the regular season, including on weekends.
"There wasn't really much practice time, but we just had an intangible chemistry," Davoudiasl said.
At first glance, the task of playing as a doubles team for the first time coupled with having to face the defending county champs in Edelblum and Mintz seemed daunting.
It wasn't for Davoudiasl. Even facing a deficit in the final set didn't faze the senior. "We literally just turned to each other and said that's it, we're not going to lose another game," Davoudiasl said after falling behind 4-0.
Once the final point was won, Davoudiasl said she had a hard time controlling herself. "Six games in a row, I don't even know how we did it," Davoudiasl said. Shenker shared her partner's sentiment.
"It feels unreal," Shenker said. "I would never have thought a couple of days ago we would be county champs."
Davoudiasl and Shenker qualified for the NYSPHSAA tennis tournament as a first doubles team. Edelblum and Mintz qualified as Nassau's second doubles squad.
The state tournament begins Nov. 6 at Eastside Racquet Club in Manlius, N.Y.
Great Neck South's doubles team of Emma Brenner and Nicolle Torres defeated Carey's duo of Samantha Perri and Courtney Sokol to qualify as the third doubles team.
In singles matches, Garden City's Jackie Raynor came away as county champion with a 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 win over top-seeded Hannah Camhi of Syosset.
You could call it a bit of redemption for the second-seeded senior, who had lost to Camhi four times over the last two seasons.
"We've been playing each other for years," Raynor said. "I lost to her on Friday . . . I didn't want to lose again."
Farmingdale's Devlin-Ann Amendola prevailed, 6-1, 6-3, over Syosset's Ashley Sandler to qualify for the state tournament in third singles.
The wind was a factor at times for Amendola Sunday, but the senior said the weather conditions helped her focus.
"I really had to play smart," Amendola said. "The wind forced me to strategize a little more. I had to use the drop shot a little more than I normally do."
