Wadsworth Earns State Trip In Singles

Linden Wadsworth’s tennis career at Evanston has been a success by most standards.

She’s held the No. 1 singles position for the past three seasons at ETHS and reached the Illinois High School Association state tournament in doubles along with partner Mia Darer in 2024.

But Wadsworth’s never forgotten the one that got away. And after missing out on a trip to State as a sophomore, the lanky senior wasn’t going to let it happen again.

Wadsworth played to her No. 3 singles seed Saturday at the Maine South Sectional tournament and kept her season alive with victories in three of her four matches. She’ll advance to the IHSA tourney next week at various sites in the northwest suburbs.

Wadsworth became the first ETHS singles player to advance since Hall of Famer Anastasia Goncharova finished as state runner-up back in 2017. She also joined the short list of Evanston’s female players to qualify for State in both singles and doubles, matching the feat last accomplished by Jessica Ampel in 2014 and 2013.

Wadsworth actually punched her ticket to the state finals on Friday, when she blitzed Alyssa Contra of Niles North (6-0, 6-0) and Evelyn Kung of Niles West (6-0, 6-0) in straight sets with some of the best tennis she’s played all fall.

On Saturday, Wadsworth bowed to eventual sectional champion Ingrid Feidler of New Trier (6-0, 6-0) and then bounced back to defeat Emma Velimirovic of Niles West 6-1, 6-1. The top four placers in both singles and doubles automatically qualify for State.

Wadsworth didn’t let the fact that she was the No. 3 seed this year feed her ego too much. She had no problems flashing back to 2023, when she was the No. 4 seed in singles in the sectional but was eliminated by a player from Lane Tech she had beaten during the regular season.

It’s still a fresh wound for the senior.

“That was one sad match for me,” she recalled Friday. “After losing in the quarterfinals that year, this is redemption for me. I’m really excited to go to State again.

“I had first match nerves today, I guess, but I’ve been playing better and better now at the end of the season. I think I’m playing smarter lately, too. Now I really know the way I need to play --- instead of being confused --- and I can focus on it better.”

Wadsworth reached her peak in the win over Kung that nailed down the State berth by going to the net frequently to put away winning salvos.

“I was really solid in that match,” she said. “I’ve always been an aggressive player and net play is the most important part of my game. After watching her play (in a prior match), I knew I’d get some short balls to hit. I just waited for my opportunities and finished whenever I could at the net.

“I’ve been so close, so many times, and I’m proud of myself that I was able to do this. Just me, to get there in singles, feels really, really good.”

Wadsworth improved to 12-10 on the season and her three wins powered the Wildkits to a second place finish in the team standings with 19 points to 35 for champion New Trier.

Evanston’s other singles entry, junior Ella Serpa, opened with a 6-2, 6-2 triumph over Jill Kosztya of Chicago Senn, then was sent to the sidelines with a 6-0, 6-0 loss to top-seeded Julia Ludwig of New Trier.

Both Wildkit doubles teams split matches Friday. Ainslee Cox and Emily Kidd had no trouble downing the Chicago Taft duo of Iryna Stefanyshyn/Salguero Ramirez by a 6-0, 6-0 margin, but lost to New Trier’s No. 1 seed (and eventual champions) Ava Katz and Lily Hermann 6-0, 6-1.

At the bottom of the bracket, Sophie Berger-White and Eve Abraham of ETHS teamed up to defeat Maine West’s Nejra Golic and Stephanie Pueyo 6-1, 6-1, but couldn’t get untracked in a 6-0, 6-1 loss to Maine South’s Ella Raseta and Kristina Nikolova.