October 27, 2010
Sarrate's work ends with title
Gabriela Sarrate capped off her senior season with a First Singles championship.
Click Here for photos from the Hudson County Tournament Finals
JERSEY CITY - When Union City’s Gabriela Sarrate made it to the Hudson County First Singles title match a year ago, it would be a pivotal moment in her career. Sarrate may not have left with a title, but rather a blueprint to what needed to be done.
These adjustments would pay off as a physically and mentally stronger Sarrate captured the championship which eluded her a year ago with a dominant 6-0, 6-1 victory over Kearny’s Angie Garma during Monday’s Hudson County Individuals Championships at Lincoln Park.
“This year I came so prepared,” Sarrate said. “This year was my last year so I had to get it.
“I think I came in the most focused I’ve ever been in my life.”
Sarrate, who said she spends three hours a day on the courts practicing, changed tennis coaches this summer and worked on having a more diverse set of on-court skills.
The expanded skills were on full display as Sarrate controlled the tempo from the opening serve and kept her opponent off-balanced. For Sarrate, it marked a stark contrast to last year. A massive underdog against Angelika Dabu, Sarrate, who said she was ‘so tight last year, I couldn’t even move.’ was unable to build any momentum and fell victim to a 6-0, 6-0 decision.
“(Last year) I wanted to outhit Angelika and hit everything hard, hard, hard,” Sarrate said. “(This year) I came in more with the mentality of not giving (Garma) the same ball over and over again. Change up the pace, do slices, hit hard when necessary, drop shots. That was my mentality, never to give the same ball repeatedly.”
Sarrate, who was undefeated in county play, might have played her best in the tournament. In as she lost just six games over four tournament matches to cap off an undefeated season in county play.
The success of Sarrate’s changes has only encouraged her to continue working on her game. While she has yet to make a decision on college yet, she knows she wants to continue playing on the next level.
“It makes you want to harder,” Sarrate said. “It makes you ask ‘what’s the next step?’ ‘What’s the next tournament to go to?’ I can’t wait to go to and play in college.”
Sarrate was one of seven first-time champions in Monday’s finals. Garma may have lost in the first singles championship, but overall it was a successful day for her Kardinals team which won two titles.
Junior Jasmania Perez took home the Second Singles title with a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 victory over North Bergen’s Mayra Canas. In third singles, junior Christine Castelluber knocked off the Bruins’ Erika Tapia 7-5, 6-3.
In First Doubles, St. Dominic Academy’s duo of Camille Tagami and InTyhe Crawford defeated North Bergen’s Alexandra Rodriguez and Veronica Arias 6-3, 7-5.
McNair won it’s first-ever Individuals championship in girls tennis as the team of Courtney Florento and C.J. Onyebeke came back to defeat North Bergen’s Ruchi Shah and Pooja Patel 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 in the Second Doubles final.
Kearny junior Christine Castelluber won the Third Singles title in straight sets.
| Hudson County Singles and Doubles Championships |
|---|
First Singles |
Gabriela Sarrate (Union City), def. Angie Garma (Kearny), 6-0, 6-1. |
Second Singles |
Jasmania Perez (Kearny), def. Mayra Canas (North Bergen), 6-2, 2-6, 6-3. |
Third Singles |
Christine Castelluber (Kearny), def. Erika Tapia (North Bergen), 7-5, 6-3. |
First Doubles |
InTyhe Crawford/Camille Tagami (St. Dominic Academy), def. Veronica Arias/Alexandra Rodriguez (North Bergen), 6-3, 7-5. |
Second Doubles |
Courtney Florento/C.J. Onyebeke (McNair), def. Pooja Patel/Ruchi Shah (North Bergen), 5-7, 6-3, 6-3. |
| First Singles Championship, Second Singles Championship, Third Singles Championship, First Doubles Championship, Second Doubles Championship |