(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski) NET WORTH: Princeton High boys’ tennis first doubles player Jesse Chai displays his net game in action last spring. PHS will be looking for senior Chai and partner, junior Akash Khanolkar, to pick up a lot of wins this spring. PHS, now 2-0, hosts Robbinsville on April 13 and then plays at Hamilton on April 15.

Featuring a Core of Steady Veterans, PHS Boys’ Tennis Appears Formidable

Bill Alden

While the Princeton High boys’ tennis team may not have a headliner this spring like such past stars as Chris Hoeland or Matt Ullmann, the squad features balance and depth.

“We are very solid from top to bottom,” said PHS head coach Sarah Hibbert, who guided the Little Tigers to a 14-7 record and a split in the Central Jersey Group III semifinals last spring.

“Some years, I have been concerned about a particular spot in the lineup but I don’t have that feeling this year.”

The Little Tigers have a solid player at the top of the lineup in first singles player, junior Robert Zhao.

“Robert is a steady competitor,” said Hibbert whose team started the 2011 season by topping Nottingham 5-0 last Thursday and then blanked Trenton High 5-0 last Monday. “He has been playing well; hitting good shots.”

The team’s other singles players, fellow juniors Eddie Percarpio at No. 2 and Julian Edgren at No. 3 are also looking good.

“Eddie has a year of varsity experience,” added Hibbert. “He is moving up from third singles and that should help him, Julian is another steady player. The top three guys are very close; they came up together and are the core of the team.”

Senior star Jesse Chai and junior Akash Khanolkar will start the season as the first doubles team. “Jesse has been up there at first doubles for the last two years and I have him with Akash who was No. 4 in the singles challenges this spring,” said Hibbert.

“Akash has a good backcourt game and Jesse is a strong doubles player who is good at the net.”

Another one of the PHS juniors, Kevin Qiu, will be at second doubles along with sophomore Eddy Zheng.

“Kevin played with Jesse at first doubles last year,” said Hibbert. “He got injured in the beginning of the spring with a sprained ankle and he is working his way back into the lineup. We are trying to split up the experience so that each of the others has a player with him that has played before.”

With talent spread throughout the lineup, PHS should experience some good things this spring.

“We have the potential to pick up points in all flights,” said Hibbert, whose team had four matches rained out in the first week of the season and will look to get into a rhythm as it hosts Robbinsville on April 13 and then plays at Hamilton on April 15.

“We should be good at doubles which should put less pressure on singles; we may need only one point there to win some matches.”

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