Warriors Tennis Flourishing Behind Ondo Siblings

After they graduated a combined seven players from last year’s teams, the tennis teams were considerably younger to start this season.

“We were all worried about this season,” junior Sam Ondo said. “We thought this was going to be a build-up season.”

That build-up season never came. And a youth movement hasn’t triggered a dropoff in wins and losses.

A year after the girls’ team advanced to the second round of the state tournament, it’s poised to begin the Region 8-AAA tournament with a 15-2 record, including an undefeated region mark.

The boys’ have stayed right with them, as they posted a 13-4 record and went 9-3 in region play. Following spring break, the teams will play the region tournament April 13 and 14 at West Hall High School.

“It’s almost invariably that an older player will defeat a younger player, because tennis is such a mental game,” Oconee coach Dan Gruetter said. “But age doesn’t necessarily mean maturity.”

An example of that is the girls’ No. 2 singles player, freshman Caroline McElhannon.

No. 1 player Victoria Ondo, a senior, said her teammate has, “Really pulled through a lot of tough matches for us.”

Ondo herself has had a breakthrough season after committing to play in college at Georgia Southwestern. Her performance in the Jekyll Jam tournament a month ago against some of the best teams in the state proved to be memorable. Ondo trailed 5-2 against No. 1-ranked Carrollton’s best player, but came back to win en route to an undefeated tournament.

“My confidence went up from that,” Ondo said. “I just knew I had it in me. I finally realized that.”

The Jekyll Jam came shortly after Ondo won the Athens Junior Championship 18s division in late February.

Gruetter said he couldn’t pinpoint an “epiphany moment” in Ondo’s development, but it arrived sometime this season.

“Being a coach and working with kids, and watching them do things, I don’t think there’s this formula,” Gruetter said.

Following two older brothers, Victoria and Sam Ondo have continued a family-wide contribution to OCHS.

“They’ve been a huge part of what we do here,” Gruetter said.

And while Sam has developed into a top doubles player, with a postseason run and his senior season remaining, he looks to sharpen his game.

“It’s more the mental game, staying in the point,” Sam said. “It’s knowing when to hit that big ball in tennis. I can’t just go out and hit them all over, I have to play the point out, and when he gives me the opportunity, I go up and make the shot. I’m working on trying to get the entire game to come together, I have all the pieces.”

Like most siblings, Victoria and Sam admit they didn't get along in the past, especially before their older siblings left for college. Now they’re glad that changed.

“It’s brought us closer,” Victoria said. “And it’s good you can go home with someone and know you can talk to them and understand what you’re saying.”

Added Sam, “Because she’s a good tennis player, too, I can go to her and don’t have to call around to all of my friends.”