Chantilly High's boys and girls singles players Thomas Nolan and Kristi Kegerreis spent much of their summer living out of suitcases and playing in national tennis tournaments extending from Ft. Myers, Fla., and Kalamazoo, Mich., to Shreveport, La., and San Diego, Calif.
Both played in what is known as the USTA junior national tournament circuit.
Nolan's summer began in Virginia Beach playing in the Mid-Atlantic boys 16's sectional championships. He was seeded seventh in singles, but was upset in the second round. Nolan, however, went on to win the doubles championship.
The following week he played in the Bush Open in Ft. Myers, Fla. — the opening event in the National Jr. Tournament circuit. Nolan lost in the second round, but went on to win two rounds in the back draw. Three weeks later he played in the USTA National 16's Clay Courts held in Rockville, Md. Nolan lost in the second round, and went on to win one round of the back draw. Next stop was the USTA zonal championships in Winston-Salem, NC. Nolan represented the Mid-Atlantic section, and won all four of his singles matches playing against top competition from the Southern, and Midwest divisions.
His summer tournament schedule ended in Kalamazoo, Mich., where he played in the USTA National 16's Hard Court championships. Nolan lost both his main draw and back draw matches in three hard fought sets.
Kegerreis' schedule criss-crossed Nolan's for most of the summer. She also started out at Virginia Beach playing in the Mid-Atlantic Girls 16's championships. Kegerreis was seeded second and lost in the quarter-finals. She also made it to the finals in doubles where she lost in three sets. Kegerreis joined Nolan in Ft. Meyers, Fla., for the Bush Open. After losing a tough three-setter in the first round of the main draw, she went on to win three rounds in the back draw. A week later, Kegerreis was on a plane to Shreveport, La., to play in the USTA National Intersectional 16's championships. She represented the Mid-Atlantic section as one of the four top players in the section, playing against other USTA sections from across the country. Kegerreis went 1-2 in singles competition in Louisiana.
The following week she was back in Virginia Beach for the National Girls 16's Clay Court Championships. Kegerreis made it to the third round of the tournament losing to the #31 seed. She joined up with Nolan again in Winston-Salem, NC, representing the Mid-Atlantic section against the Southern and Midwest Sections.
Kegerreis went 2-2 in singles competition for the week. Her tennis "roadtrip" ended in San Diego, Calif., in mid-August for the National Girls 16's Hard Court championships. After losing a tough three-setter in the first round to a girl from Alpharetta, Ga., Kegerreis went on to win two rounds in the back draw.
Nolan and Kegerreis, who grew up playing tennis together starting at age 5, will find themselves on the same tennis courts again next spring. The boys and girls high school tennis teams will share the same tennis season beginning in the spring of 2005.