The Atlee boys tennis team was unable to repeat as Capital District Champions this season, falling to a talented group of players from Henrico.

  Because of rain delays, the district singles/doubles championships finished on Friday at Varina High School. Atlee’s Shao-wei Tu and Thomas Rishcoff came into the competition as the district’s top double duo but they could not overcome the inspired play of Henrico’s Arjun Venkat and Matt Zimmerman.

  Tu and Rishcoff got off to a fast start, taking the first game but from there it was all Henrico as Venkat/Zimmerman roared back in demanding fashion, defeating Atlee 6-0, 6-1.

  “Definitely not as good as the Henrico guys today,” said Atlee head coach Joey Rogers. “Not stereotypical of my guys for the season. We played a lot better through the season. I think it was a combination of a long week, some tough rivals and a hot day. They weren’t there best, which is unfortunate.”

  In singles, both Tu and Rishcoff were eliminated in the semifinal round. No. 2 seed Tu, a senior and defending district champion and 2008 runner-up, simply could not keep up with No. 3 seed Zimmerman who was on top of his game throughout the tournament. Though Tu got off to a good start, Zimmerman played outstanding in recovery, upsetting Tu 6-3, 6-3.

  Though disappointed in his loss, Tu knew that his lack of playing time in the off season was a contributor. “This season I started running track and had a lot of success in it so I didn’t play tennis at all,” he said. 

  For Tu, tennis was more of a hobby this season as he concentrated on track, which he will continue running for Christopher Newport University in the fall.

  As a freshman, Rishcoff played his best tennis of the tournament facing the district’s top player. In the semifinals versus Venkat, Rishcoff pushed the limits of last year’s runner-up before falling 7-6 (7-2), 6-4.

  For Rishcoff, it did not come as a surprise that his play carried him so far. “I knew Arjun, Shao-wei and Zimmerman and I kind of thought I’d meet them in the semis,” Rishcoff said. “I would probably lose but I’d give them a good match. I was very happy with that.”

  The tournament also showed Rischoff areas in which in needs to improve such as getting a little bit stronger and bigger as well as working on his backhand.

  “Man, I am stoked about having Thomas on the team for another three years,” Rogers said. “He really showed up this year, even more than I expected.

  “He’s got some room to grow but I’m happy for those growing pains if he’s on my team,” Rogers added.

  In the single finals, the sophomore Zimmerman continued his hot streak, defeating district player of the year Venkat 7-6, (7-5), 6-2 to win the Capital District title. 

The tournament also served as a display of young district talent. Only two seniors made it to the semi-final round, which included two juniors (Venkat, Lee-Davis’ Ryan Henry), two sophomores (Zimmerman, Hanover’s Taylor Napier) and two freshmen (Rishcoff, Hanover’s Connor Healy). 

Singles championship — No. 3 Matthew Zimmerman (Henrico) d. No. 1 Arjun Venkat (Henrico) 7-6 (7-5), 6-2
Doubles championship — No. 2 Arjun Venkat/Matthew Zimmerman (Henrico) d. No. 1 Shaowei Tu/Thomas Rishcoff (Atlee) 6-0, 6-1

SINGLES
Round one: Tu (Atlee) – ByeVenkat (Henrico) –
ByeZimmerman (Henrico) d. Ruff (Armstrong) 6-0,
6-0 Rishcoff (Atlee) d. Wilson (Varina) 6-1, 6-1
Healy (Hanover) d. Czerwik (Varina) 6-0, 6-0 Napier
(Hanover) d. Guyeye (Armstrong) 6-1,
6-4Peterson (Lee Davis) d. Mars ( Highland
Springs) 6-1, 6-2Henry (Lee Davis) d. Stubblefield
(Highland Springs) 6-2, 6-2
Round two: Tu (Atlee) d. Henry (Lee Davis) 6-4,
6-1Venkat (Henrico) d. Peterson (Lee Davis) 6-1,
6-2Zimmerman (Henrico) d. Healy (Hanover) 6-0,
6-2Rishcoff (Atlee) d. Napier (Hanover) 6-0, 6-2
Round three: Venkat (Henrico) d. Rishcoff (Atlee)
7-6(7-2), 6-4; Zimmerman (Henrico) d. Tu (Atlee)
6-3, 6-3