USTA ranks local Junior Tennis Players

USTA ranks local Junior Tennis Players: Lindsey Weis of Chappaqua, Sacha Ganesh of Bedford Hills, Olivia Ashton of Pleasantville, Caitlyn Ferrante of Yorktown and Lucy Carpenter of Croton all had the winning Edge in recent Eastern Tennis Association (ETA) and scholastic tournament competitions.

They are all USTA Eastern or nationally ranked junior tennis players and veteran members of the Saw Mill Club’s advanced junior competition Edge program where they first got their start in tournament competition.

Lindsey Weis of Chappaqua

Getting the Edge: Zuka Mukhuradze, a highly ranked junior player in both his native Georgia and in the United States, founded the Saw Mill Club’s Edge program in 2008 and since then has mentored some of the area’s leading players and helped them go on to successful careers at D1 and Ivy League programs.

The program graduated over 25 players in 2014 of which 20 are currently playing in D1 and D3 college tennis programs. “Today’s roster of players is younger and with so much promise,” Mukharadze told us. “Caitlyn, Lucy, Lindsey, Olivia and Sacha are as good a group of players that we ever had come through the Edge program since it started in 2008.”

Nationally ranked: Ferrante has a USTA national ranking of No. 120 in the girl’s 14’s division and is in the top 20 in the ETA 14’s at No. 17. She also is No. 67 in the ETA 16’s. At only 14, she has won three ETA girl’s 16’s tournaments in a row. Also she placed fifth in a USTA National Super Six girl’s 14’s tournament.

Ferrante was the No.1 singles player for the Yorktown High School varsity team as a eighth grader and has a handful of 16’s singles titles and runner-up showings in doubles this season.

Carpenter is ranked in both the ETA 12’s and 14’s divisions. She is No. 17 in the 12’s and No. 71 in the 14’s after winning a 14’s singles tournament this spring. She has been runner-up several times along with a strong showing in the Empire Cup national doubles tournament with partner and fellow Edge player Olivia Ashton.

Alyssa Margolin of Armonk

As an 8th grader, Ashton played No.2 singles on the Pleasantville High varsity team and is projected to play No. 1 this upcoming season.

Rising fast: “We are also looking for big things to come from Luke Queiroz (Mt. Kisco), Lindsey Weis (Chappaqua), Alyssa Margolin (Armonk), David Domanski (Bedford), Marko Arboleda (Chappaqua), Justin Greenfeld (Chappaqua) and Noah Payes (Bedford). They are all newbies to tournament play, have all recently received USTA Eastern rankings and are all rising up the charts fast,” said Zuka.

Saw Mill Club’s Director of Tennis, Bob Bull, cites the camaraderie of the Edge players as a big reason for their success. “Zuka and the rest of the pro staff emphasis how it is a team effort, that the Edge players are responsible to one another, in training and competing. The Edge kids have made great friendships here. The Edge program also influences our Junior Training and 10 and under programs, providing inspiration to those kids that are newer to the game”

Saw Mill Club, 77 Kensico Dr., Mt. Kisco, 914.241.0797; www.sawmillclub.com)