Andy Nguyen, Tribune boys tennis player of the year: Four championship match appearances in four years. Three titles. Pretty close to perfection on the court for Phoenix Mountain Pointe’s Andy Nguyen, a repeat winner as the Tribune’s boys tennis player of the year.
Four championship match appearances in four years. Three titles.
Pretty close to perfection on the court for Phoenix Mountain Pointe’s Andy Nguyen, a repeat winner as the Tribune’s boys tennis player of the year.
Nguyen regained the 5A Division I state singles title this year after a tough three-set loss in 2008. A few more quality lines to go on an impressive tennis resume, joining the doubles title he shared with Erik Sheldon in 2006 and his 2007 singles crown.
Nguyen, who regained the 5A title he won in 2007 earlier this month by beating Tempe Corona del Sol’s Garret Dunn, 6-4, 6-2, was well prepared for state based on who was left standing in the final four. Dunn and Phoenix Desert Vista’s Ahmad Saleem reached the semifinals. Both were 5A Central Region rivals of Nguyen’s.
Nguyen, a fixture in the upper-echelon of 5A tennis in his tenure at Mountain Pointe, has some academic prowess to go along with his volleying expertise. He’s preparing to head east to a college called Harvard.
“I’m not sure what I’m going to major in yet,” Nguyen said. “I’ll just take things as they come for a while.”
Nguyen said getting into Harvard was as enjoyable as his tennis exploits.
“The recruiting process was fun,” Nguyen said. “I’m looking forward to going there.”
Looking back on his tennis at Mountain Pointe, Nguyen enjoyed the year of doubles at state equally with his singles play.
His most rewarding moment came in his sophomore year when Mountain Pointe knocked off Phoenix Brophy in the team semifinals.
“Even though we ended up losing in the (team) finals, winning the semifinal match was a great moment for me and our team.”
There figures to be more great moments ahead.
