A newcomer to Ceres High’s varsity boys tennis program, junior Hassan Imran exceeded head coach David Ortiz’s expectations this spring.
Imran compiled a 5-10 record on his way to earning first-team all-Western Athletic Conference honors.
He split playing time at No. 1, 2 and 3 singles.
"I learned a lot about myself as a player. Our coach taught me everything, basically. He made me 10 times better.”Hassan Imran
“I’m pretty happy with what I’ve done,” he said. “I definitely surprised myself. I learned a lot about myself as a player. Our coach taught me everything, basically. He made me 10 times better.”
Imran won one of two matches en route to a top-eight finish at the WAC Singles Tournament on April 15 in Ceres.
He beat Johansen’s Fabian Ramirez 6-0, 6-3 in the opening round.
He lost 6-1, 6-1 to Mountain House’s Jonah Linsangan in the quarterfinals.
Imran beat Sameed Kahloon in a challenge match to secure the top spot in the Bulldogs’ lineup heading into the WAC Singles Tournament.
“We had a good rivalry,” Imran said. “He helped me become a better player by showing me my weaknesses.”
Imran also advanced to the quarterfinals while teaming up with Kahloon at the conference doubles tourney.
They beat Lathrop’s Ritchie Blase and Matthew Schusk 6-1, 7-5 in the first round.
Imran and Kahloon lost 6-1, 6-1 to Mountain House’s Linsangan and Shuv Chakravarty.
Imran filled a major role while leading Ceres High to a fourth-place tie with Beyer in the WAC standings. The Bulldogs went 7-7.
“It was a privilege to play tennis for Ceres High,” he said. “I can’t wait for my senior year. I want to improve as an individual and team.”
