Tennis pedigree helped Moomau succeed at No. 1

By Tommy Keeler Jr. - tkeeler@nvdaily.com

WINCHESTER -- Sarah Moomau used to spend her summers with her mom at work. Moomau's mother, Joni, works at Stonebrook Racquet and Fitness Club and Sarah was always there looking for a match.

"I'd hang around Stonebrook all day long and whenever people would come I would just hit with them," Moomau said. "In between when no one was there I'd go to the pool and then come back and hit some with whoever. It was pretty much my second home and I lived there."

Moomau, The Northern Virginia Daily's Girls Tennis Player of the Year, began playing tennis when she was little, but also played other sports. Finally, she decided to focus on tennis and it's worked out well for her.

"I played my first couple tournaments in seventh grade and I loved it so much," Moomau said. "I had so much fun that I decided to start spending a little more time on it."

Most of her family plays tennis, including her brother, Tommy, who was on two Group AA state championship teams at Handley.

Moomau said her older brother has been a big influence on her.

"I saw his teams go to states, when he was in the top six. It was so exciting," she said. "I wanted to do what my brother did. He's always been really helpful. He practices with me. He always gives me little tips. He's always been there for me tennis-wise. He's a big part of the reason I wanted to do so well in my tennis career."

Moomau also learned a lot from watching her brother's on-court demeanor. He was known for his calm and cool composure on the court and Moomau exudes that same persona.

"I'm sure a lot of that is from watching my brother," Moomau said. "I probably got a lot of that from him. He's always told me and helped me how to act because you want to lose like a champion. Even if you lose you don't want to act immature. You want to give your opponent respect.

"You can play a really amazing player with great strokes, but if they get down or something and lose their head, they're going to lose. That's what's unique about tennis and why I've been able to do well at it -- because I don't let people get into my head."

As a freshman, Moomau played at No. 3 singles for the Judges and helped them to their first state title. Last year, she started the season at the No. 1 spot, but pulled her hamstring and lost the spot to teammate Elizabeth Gardiner.

This season, Moomau wanted to make sure she not only won the spot, but kept it.
"It motivated me a lot because I wanted it just as much last year," Moomau said. "It made me want to work even harder after being No. 2."

Moomau advanced to the Region II individual singles final, where she lost to Freedom's Carla Wong. Moomau had beaten Wong in United States Tennis Association tournaments, but Wong flipped the script in regionals. Wong hit the lines with regularity, and even her normal weakness, her forehand, was working for her. Still, Moomau finished the season 18-1.

"To go undefeated until regional finals was also a big accomplishment for me," Moomau said. "I was really proud of my season overall."

Behind Moomau, the Judges won their third consecutive state title. The team loses three seniors, but Moomau has a year left and is excited about the talent returning around her.
"This year I knew if anything happened I'd have another year, but [next] year's my last and I want to make it the best possible," Moomau said.

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