By Nicole Lee (26S05A), Nithilan Balachander (26A01C) and Sonia Chang (26A01A) 

All photographs provided by Ayyaatharan Srinivasan (26S06D) from RIAC.

In this NSG season, RI’s tennis girls’ team reached the finals again. The arena buzzed with anticipation—student spectators started pouring in before the match started; On one side stood RI, and on the other, ACSI. That afternoon, both schools were going neck to neck for the champion’s title. 

The moment was nothing short of cinematic. 

Courts lined side by side, each separated by a towering net; umpire chairs positioned squarely in the centre of the sidelines. The lights glared onto the courts, a stark contrast to the dimly-lit spectators’ seatings. Before the match began, it started to rain – the pitter-patter of rain on the roof echoed like applause. Every little thing built up the tense anticipation of the match. 

The 2025 tennis girls’ finals featured RI defending the title of champions against the new contender, ACSI. Last year, the Raffles team had won 4-1 against Hwa Chong, leaving a distinct mark on the tennis landscape. This year, as they face off against yet another strong opponent, everyone awaited the moment with bated breath—will RI dominate the season again, or risk losing its streak? 

Let The Games Begin

The fast paced match didn’t spare any time for thought; with a sharp signal, players shifted into their positions and leapt straight into action. The match was spread out across three separate courts featuring four different games, each with a singles or doubles match. As the match started, solid serves of tennis balls echoed throughout the arena. 

On the side, student spectators monitored the constant movements of the ball across the sides of the courts, their eyes following the fluctuating parabolas as their heads turned from left to right. 

The first round featured 2 singles and 1 double, all of which were impressively fought by the players. 

The doubles’ team was represented by players Kayleigh Lim (25S03D) and Sonia Loke (26S06Q); The game had been proceeding well as both pairs went all out in the gameplay, but came to a pause rather abruptly due to an injury—one of the ACS(I) players had strained her shoulder. Fortunately, the game resumed after a short break, and the RI doubles’ team emerged victorious. 

Meanwhile, the singles match. Representing the team for the first match was Hannah Yeo (26S03I), who was undoubtedly focused on the game. The match was a close one, with both players scoring points one after the other; after what seemed like a long rally, the ACS(I) team had gained its first point.

The second round brought about some turbulence for the team, as both RI and ACS(I) scored one point after another.

Representing the second singles match was Joanna Hee (25S03A), who had won the match, bringing up the score to 2-1 for RI. Things were looking up for the RI team as they maintained a steady lead ahead of their opponents.

The ACS(I) team caught up to a tie shortly after the second doubles match, with the RI team being represented by Diya Sawney (25S06B) and Sarah Qistina (26S03M). It was a good fight—despite the loss, it was clear that each player gave their all, trying to close up the gap as much as possible.

Throughout the game, the audience erupted in thundering cheers as the student spectators passionately displayed their support for the teams. 

The Finale

Then came the last game. 

The entire arena directed its attention to a single court furthest left—student spectators filling in the corner rows wrapping around the court, with parents and seniors occupying the front. The judges peer over from afar, as the umpire, with his cool demeanour, readies himself to oversee the final match. This was not just any game, it was the final shot for both schools. With both RI and ACSI at 2-2, it was the deciding match. On the court was none other than the captain herself, Krystal Lim (25S03B).

As Krystal entered the court for one last game, she didn’t seem like someone caved to the pressure of the season stacked onto her. Composed and steady, her eyes were locked and focused solely on the ball. She was ready to end off the finals with a clean victory. On the other end, her opponent stood her ground. Just as determined, she readied her stance and anticipated the starting serve. 

The arena went absolutely silent as the ball shot rapidly back and forth past the net, causing thundering applause and cheers as each point was won. Krystal had a good lead from the start, maintaining a steady increase in her scoring. Her opponent, despite the growing pressure, remained collected and persisted in her approach. It was truly a remarkable demonstration of tenacity, as both players refused to back down; both pushed themselves to the furthest points of the court, returning the ball each time it cut into their territory. 

There were countless rallies and cheer-offs between both schools (everyone really cheered their hearts out this time). There were multiple times where the serves didn’t go through, or the ball hit the net, or that the players outsmarted each other. 

This wasn’t just a simple display of skills, it was a manifestation of the years of hard work the players had poured into the court. Where every serve, backhand and strategy had been drilled and executed over and over; the footwork and reflexes had become second nature to each player. It wasn’t just Krystal, but the entire team that had given their best that day – this was clear in their impressive performance. 

As the final point was awarded, the arena broke out into cheers and screams. They’ve done it again — the champions of NSG 2025. Seniors and juniors of the RI team ran past the stands into the court, as everyone gathered in a big hug, relieved of the pressure. 

Ground Sentiments 

While the student spectators started to disperse, we made our way through the crowd, hoping to get a glimpse of what went on behind the scenes. Amidst the chaos of celebrations, we felt the general atmosphere of the teams: despite going neck to neck for a close match, both schools expressed their appreciation for a match well fought, as teammates cheered and comforted one another. 

So, what was it like for the team this season? To start off, Coach Weber gave us a good glimpse into the work behind the curtains. “The team has been training the past 3 to 4 months just to lift up the trophy or wear the medals around their necks”. He adds, “The team had some bad days when they were pretty nervous…although everyone worked very well as a team.” 

When inquired about his future plans to carry the legacy, Coach Weber points to the next batch of players from the secondary section, coupled with the potential DSAs next year. 

Moving on, beyond the fast-paced games and numerous rounds of relays, there were a few notable highlights in the experience.

As the crowd was absorbed in the final match, a distinct ‘emote’ stood out; Before each serve, Krystal would spin her racquet in her hand, taking a few deep breaths as she aimed and hit the ball. “It really just gets my momentum up”, the team’s captain laughed, “and I know that I’m ready to hit the next point.” 

Toggling over to the Y5 players, Sonia from the doubles’ team expressed her hopes for the team’s future. 

So, what awaits the team next year? It could be another season of close fights and stacked opponents, or yet another victory for the long standing champions. Nevertheless, lots of memories were made, and countless moments to be remembered. 

Perhaps Krystal puts it best: “This is honestly the moment that you really have to cherish and treasure. Because you will not remember the A level grind, really. But 10, 20 years down the road, you’ll be remembering this moment when you clinched number 1, the first place for your team.”