As the 2024 boys’ tennis season is coming to an end fast, the Royals still have one mission to accomplish. They want to win a state title. Brady Stump, the number two singles player for the Royals tennis team as a sophomore, has had an amazing tennis journey, and he doesn’t plan for it to end anytime soon. Stump first got into the game of tennis “because my dad played in college”, he said. What inspired him to take pride in the game is that tennis is a solo sport, and that makes it a challenge on himself mentally, knowing that he is the only one that can help himself on the court.
When asked about a pivotal moment in Stump’s tennis journey so far, he referenced, “when I played in the Midwest Closed at Michigan State University for the first time.” He found this as a pivotal moment because it was a huge tournament, and many top ranked players were there. Stump has had preparation in big tournament settings and regular matches in general, making him a key player for the Royals team as a whole.
Stump has had many memorable moments in the tennis world, but his most being this season’s match against Zionsville. What made it so memorable was, “because I barely lost the first set. I then came back and won the second set which was equally as close. Then I won the tiebreaker 10-8. The match ended at around 3 hours long and I came out on top”, Stump mentioned. With this impressive win Stump has been able to acclimate to the high school tennis atmosphere. He explains how tennis at the varsity level has a “higher level of pressure and intensity.” As there is no one with you on the tennis court playing 2 singles. Stump highlights the fact that “everything relies on only you and your opponent, which creates an anxious atmosphere.”
During the high school tennis season there is many aspects to consider as student-athletes are trying to win both on the court and off the court. Stump, “has a set schedule on when I am training, and I do my homework and study whenever I’m not” he says. With grades playing a major role in the lives of high school athletes, Stump has to make sure to keep his grades up at a steady pace in order to succeed during the tennis season.
As the Royals have a 9-3 record with sectionals upon the horizon, they are making sure to lock in and really block out any distractions or anxiety that they have gathered throughout the season. Stump sees himself, “playing in college” in the future, but nothing more than that. Tennis has been a huge factor in Stump’s life and one major takeaway he always keeps in his mind is “that the people that put in the most quality work are the ones that succeed” he says. With Stump being only a sophomore this year, the Hamilton Southeastern Royals seem to be in very good hands for many years to come.
