Torrey Pines freshman/Rancho Santa Fe resident Taylor Fritz sweeps against Rancho Bernardo

Previously undefeated Rancho Bernardo High School recently suffered their first loss of the season at home against the 7-0 Torrey Pines High School tennis team. The match score was 12-6.

Taylor Fritz, the 6’ 3” freshman sensation is gaining confidence from a USTA (United States Tennis Association) tournament win at the recent Long Beach designated tournament.

Taylor swept all three singles sets with the first being over Columbia University-bound senior William Chu 6-4. He won the second match, beating nationally ranked Steven Chen 6-2.

Torrey Pines lost five starting players last year to graduation and one to a tennis academy.

This year is a totally different team and they reloaded with three talented freshman. A big surprise was 6’ 4” freshman Nikita Pereverzin, a transplant from Oregon who has a huge serve, effective net game and good work ethic.

Ganesh Manoharan is also a very solid starting freshman who will play any position in the lineup, singles or doubles.

Torrey Pines’ head coach Chris Numbers, in his first year on Torrey’s campus, is a former NCAA Division 1 All-American collegiate player, Hong Kong Davis Cup player and national coach for the Hong Kong Tennis Association’s Davis Cup and Fed Cup teams. Numbers says he knows a good team when he sees it.

A key part of the depth is in Henry Ji rejoining the team after being home schooled last year. “Henry’s return gives us a super versatile player who can match up with any team in singles or doubles. He is also very comfortable playing with any partner and making them better. If our team can stay healthy and injury free we have a very good shot at repeating as Div.1 CIF Champions,” Numbers said.