With his left hand guiding the racquet, Aashil Patel ’26 steps to the baseline and hits a serve. The ball rockets off the racquet, landing on the other side of the net and swerving to the side. Patel sprints towards the net — cutting off any vulnerable angles — and finishes with a volley that leads to his opponent scrambling off the court. Game, set, match.
Patel was introduced to tennis at the age of six by his father, who also played tennis and wanted to share the sport with his son. Growing up, Patel also played baseball throughout middle school but ultimately decided to focus his attention on tennis.
As a left-handed player, Patel’s style draws from one of the all-time tennis greats.
“I always watched [Rafael Nadal],” said Patel. “I’m a lefty, he’s a lefty, so he shaped a lot of my game, how I fight. I learned a lot from him.”
Since joining the PHS team as a freshman, Patel has played in a variety of different positions in the lineups, playing everywhere from third singles to first doubles across his three varsity seasons.
Head boys tennis Coach Sarah Hibbert remembers his arrival: a freshman who walked in already competing for a spot on the varsity singles team.
“Aashil came in, and he already was right up into the singles mix. He was right on that floating cusp of being the third singles player,” said Hibbert. “As a freshman, seeing varsity singles time is really great, as it is, and he was willing to play wherever he was needed.”
Being a freshman first alternate meant Patel never had a formal spot in the lineup his first year. He served as a substitute player in the singles rotation, stepping in whenever a player was sick, injured, or away. Whether it was playing singles or doubles, Patel saw varsity time as an underclassman and proved he could compete.
“It was a good way for him to get comfortable,” said Hibbert. “He was very easygoing and willing to do what was needed and what was best for the team, and that was really nice.”
Patel’s high school record consists of losing only a few matches while often defeating opponents without losing a single game. Patel has played singles and doubles matches against schools like Ewing, Hightstown, and Notre Dame. When asked about his preference for singles or doubles, Patel had a clear choice.
“I like to play doubles more because I’ve always had a better doubles game, I’m smarter at that. I have really good volleys,” Patel said.
Patel played doubles during the 2024 season, where he teamed up with Aman Kapur ’24 at first doubles. The duo won the Colonial Valley Conference competition, capping a 7–5, 6–4 victory against West Windsor Plainsboro South in the final round of the Central Jersey Group 3.
Patel’s perseverance through tough sets has drawn the respect of his teammates. His development has been witnessed by Tacto Yamada ’27 since childhood after meeting through the sport.
“[I’ve known] him since when I was young. We [first met] at Winning Touch Tennis Club, and we’ve been friends since then,” said Yamada. “Now he’s taking up some leadership roles, and [I’m] really glad to see that he’s able to lead a team. [He’s] leading by the example, for sure. He is such a good role model.”
Hibbert has watched that leadership grow over the past few years, along with his confidence and maturity, while also preserving aspects of himself.
“Certain main portions of his personality [have stayed the same, and] he [is] still willing to do what’s best for the team, he’s still willing to help out and be great to everybody. He’s a great guy to have around on the team. People like him,” said Hibbert.
Last year presented one of the biggest challenges in Patel’s high school tennis journey. Patel had to sit out of numerous matches due to a series of injuries, such as shoulder issues and a fractured foot.
“If you work all year to play your best tennis, and then you get hurt, and you can’t play your best tennis, it’s really disappointing and frustrating, and I think last year was a frustrating season for him,” said Hibbert.
Despite the setback, Patel refused to let these injuries define his season. He supported teammates from the bench at matches, staying involved with the team.
“He tried to keep his attitude positive, and he was still working, even when he was in a boot,” said Hibbert.
As he looks towards his final season, Patel shared a piece of wisdom that extended beyond the baseline.
“I think it’s more you always have to think, just play one point at a time,” said Patel. “Don’t think of what happened before.