By Arshia Mahajan (25S06R) and Shannen Lim (24A01A) 
Photographs courtesy of Raffles Photographic Society

What goes into a Tennis game?

 Double Makes Trouble 

Doubles is a game of trust, and for Kaira Tan and Kayleigh Lim, that trust has been five years in the making, leading all the way up to this year’s Tennis Girls National School Games (NSG). 

Playing together since their time in the Raffles Girls School team, doubles is their specialty. Their chemistry on the court is clear, as Kaira yells out “yours”, with laser-sharp focus, for Kayleigh to take the ball. Or, as Kayleigh relaxes and lets Kaira smash from the front. 

This game is extra special for the both of them, as it marks their last time playing together before Kaira leaves for America.

As they celebrate their 6-0 6-0 win, the friendly handshakes across rounds culminating in a celebratory hug, it is clear– their journey together has been worth it. 

The Last Dance 

Tennis is also a game of confidence. This is best seen in Singles player, Sofia Jane Wong, who takes to the court like a dancer to the stage. Her playing style stands in graceful contrast to the other players of the team, as she receives balls mid-air with pirouettes and sends them back with elegant splits. 

With each powerful smash that deals a devastating blow to her opponent, Sofia is seen to be all smiles, before setting her expression back into an almost intimidating focus for the next round. 

“It’s one of the rare days that I didn’t feel so nervous. I think it’s because I felt  confident that no matter the outcome, we would be very proud of how far we’ve come, and how much we’ve dealt with over the past year to get where we were today”, says Sofia. 

This game is especially special to her, as it marks her last time playing for Raffles after 6 years of representing the school. 

To her, her confidence in and love for Tennis will always come from the people.

Fighting Spirit 

Tennis is a game of determination, as demonstrated by doubles partners Sarah Anne Wong and Ashley Goh. 

Despite the inevitable, yet occasional loss of points, Sarah and Ashley maintain a positive attitude throughout their game. Each  time their opponents score, Sarah turns to greet Ashley with a smile and high-five in mutual reassurance, before returning to the court with even more tenacity. 

This determination carries them through, and eventually leads them on to victory.

According to Ashley, “This was the most fulfilling match we ever played.” 

Tennis is a game of focus. This quality shines through in Krystal Lim’s agility and quick thinking on the court.

Krystal is constantly moving across the court, anticipating where the ball is going to land, before her opponent has even hit it. Throughout the match, she keeps one eye on the ball and the other on her opponent, waiting for the right opportunity to strike. She looks, she aims, she smashes – she scores. 

She wraps up her game quickly and walks off court with a smile and a wave to the crowd of cheering supporters.

The Last (Wo)man Standing 

Tennis is a game of passion. And who better to show this than Lourelei Alburo, whose match lasted a full 3 hours? 

As the players take their positions on the courts amidst the ear splitting roaring from the spectators, the tension between Lourelei and her opponent is palpable. As it turns out, they had already faced off against each other during the quarter finals. As such, for Lourelei, this final match is also a revenge match, a chance for her to redeem herself from the previous loss. 

The second the ball flies over the net, it is obvious that both players are beyond determined to win this match. Lourelei puts her all into every single shot, and the speed at which she returns each ball makes it difficult to keep track of it.

While the others are finishing up their matches, Lourelei seems to have just gotten started. They are still on the first of three sets, and the game is so evenly matched that it is impossible to tell who is winning. 

Two hours into the game, Lourelei is still going at it with full force. One would expect her to be getting at least a little worn down at this point, but judging off her energy and swiftness on the court, no one could guess how long they had been playing for.

The other four matches conclude with 4-0, securing Raffles the win.

Despite this, the court is pin drop silent, all eyes on Lourelei. Will she get us a clean sweep? The players are neck and neck, with the score being brought back to deuce every time someone scores a point. The entire Raffles contingent is cheering her on, with very enthusiastic screaming from the spectators and her fellow tennis teammates flanking the side of the court. The call of “Let’s go, Lourelei, let’s go!” rings through the stadium, the combined effort of the Rafflesians.

The match finally draws to a close, in Hwa Chong’s favour, three hours in. Instantly, the girls’ team rushes to surround Lourelei in a group hug as they celebrate their collective victory, all while the RI spectators erupt with applause and cheers for a match well fought. Truly, Lourelei’s passion for the sport shines through in her consistent energy, and her dedication to keep playing for the sake of the game, not just for the win. 

In Lourelei’s own words, “I wanted to make my team proud, and it was really their support that kept me going.”

Ultimately, Tennis is a game of love (pun intended). To quote team captain, Ashley Goh, “Although Tennis may seem like an individual sport, but the format of the NSG makes it a team event, so we had to believe in our skills and each other.” Through Tennis, Ashley and her teammates have found a “second family”. 

“I hope the school can take away that our true win this season was not the championship, but the friendships and memories made that will last for a lifetime,” Ashley says. As the team rushed to change into matching socks and ran onto the court to claim their gold trophy, love was all that was in the air.