Varsity girls tennis player Serene Alsikafi became the first freshman named Athlete of the Week for the 2025-26 school year on Sept. 19.
Serene’s tennis journey began when she was just 5 years old, as she grew up surrounded by the game of tennis within her family. “My dad played in college, and both my brothers played,” she said. “So it led me to start playing.”
Committed to tennis from a young age, Serene has trained daily ever since, which is reflected in her performance throughout this season. “Knowing how hard I work, [I wanted] to translate that into matches,” she said.
Her mindset has helped her win in challenging moments, such as during a recent singles match. “I was down 9–3 in the match tiebreak and ended up winning 14–12,” she said.
Comebacks like this have taught her lessons that extend beyond athletics. “You always have to believe in yourself; it’s never really over until it’s over,” she said. “You can be up by a lot and [there’s a chance] that the other person can come back, or vice versa.”
Beyond her individual achievements, she values the relationships she’s found in Latin’s tennis team. “I really like the community we’ve built,” she said. “Tennis is a lot smaller than most other sports, so you can really connect with the people around you.” The tight-knit bond she formed with her teammates has made celebrating each other’s victories even more rewarding.
Looking ahead, Serene hopes to continue to flourish both on and off the court. She said, “I want to make sure to never give up, say positive things about myself, and for my teammates to do the same.”
