For top tennis players, success comes from proper preparation

Photo by Rabia Shahbaz

Between packing tennis bags, lacing up court shoes, and stepping up to the baseline, high school tennis players have a lot to manage before the first serve even goes over the net. For varsity athletes competing at a high level, success on the court doesn’t just start when the match begins; it starts hours-and even the night-before. Preparing for a match takes physical energy, mental focus, and a solid pre-game routine to get locked in. 

For seniors Mackenzie Sagers and Indre Jankunas,  preparation has played a huge role in one of the best seasons in school history. Together, the two standout players helped lead the Tigers to an undefeated 16-0 dual-meet season in the fall of 2026, with both qualifying for the Iowa Class 2A State Individual Tournament in Waterloo and committing to play college tennis next year. 

Sagers, who is coached by her mom, head coach Tara Sagers, dominated the No. 1 singles spot all season, going undefeated in regular-season play and winning 206 of 226 games. After capturing a Class 2A region 1 singles title and finishing as the state singles runner-up for the second straight year, she committed to play college tennis for her father, head coach Chris Sagers, at the University of Northern Iowa. 

For Sagers, getting ready to compete at that level starts well before she even arrives at the courts. 

“Before every meet I have a good breakfast and dinner the night before,” Sagers said. 

Once she gets to the courts, getting into the right headspace is all about finding the right vibe with her teammates and putting on the right soundtrack. 

“I also always listen to music before playing, whether it’s in my headphones or on a speaker with the team,” Sagers said. “As a team we listen to a variety of music when warming up, whether it’s hype-up music or soft music, depending on how we feel.” 

After the music starts playing, the team goes through a set physical routine to get their muscles loose and their timing right before matches begin.

“The team always warms up before playing,” Sagers said. “We first run laps and stretch, and then we warm up tennis for actual matches.” 

While some athletes like to isolate themselves and overanalyze their opponents right before competing, Sagers takes the opposite approach during the final countdown before walking onto the court. 

“In the last 10 minutes before a match I always just talk with my teammates and family,” Sagers said. “This allows me to not think and stress over the match I am about to play.” 

Combining conversation with a good playlist is what ultimately gets her ready to compete. 

“I prefer to talk and listen to music before playing because it gets me the most locked in for matches,” Sagers said. 

Even though she doesn’t think a messed-up pre-game routine has ever directly caused a bad match, she knows how important it is to start off on the right foot during drills.

“I do think if my warm-up with the team isn’t the greatest, it affects my playing in the actual match,” Sagers said. 

Alongside Sagers, Jankunas also relied on her pre-match habits throughout a standout final season. Jankunas anchored the No. 3 singles spots with an impressive 13-3 record and teamed up with junior Ayla Suiter (‘28) in doubles, where the pair finished as Region 1 runners-up to punch their ticket to the state tournament.

Jankunas, who is committed to play collegiately at Coe College, shares many of the same team warm-up traditions as Sagers, starting with getting preparing together. 

“As a team, we always have a warm-up together where we stretch and do our normal hitting routine, and we always play music from our team playlist during the warm-up,” Jankunas said. 

When it comes to fueling up right before a match, Jankunas keeps things simple and fast-as long as her schedule gives her enough time to grab a snack. 

“Normally before a match I try to eat either a granola bar or fruit snacks for some quick sugar, though sometimes I don’t have the time to get something before the match,” Jankunas said. 

While Sagers consistently likes to stay social right before competing, Jankunas adjusts her final moments before a match depending on what kind of challenge she is about to face on the court. 

“A lot of times it depends on the match I’m playing, but I try to either talk to my teammates before we go on the court, or I will get away from the group for a little bit to have time to myself,” Jankunas said. 

Whether it means eating a solid meal the night before, grabbing a quick snack, or deciding between hanging out with teammates and taking a quiet moment alone, high school tennis players prove that winning takes more than just a strong serve. While every player’s habits look a little different, the goal before every match remains the same: getting ready, staying calm and stepping onto the court ready to play.