Junior tennis players work on games at summer tournaments

CEDAR RAPIDS — Cedar Rapids Jefferson sophomore Lily Holland has one simple reason for playing summer tennis.

“... so I don’t forget how,” Holland said Sunday after winning the 16-and-under girls’ title at the Baird Iowa Open tennis tournament.

The tournament helps players get prepared for the high school season.

From the start, Holland was unstoppable, cruising through the first few rounds and beating Kate Holton in the finals, 6-1, 6-1.

She said she had a great time at the annual tournament, calling the experience “pretty awesome.”

Holland has many goals this season after placing sixth at the Class 2A state singles in May.

“(Her goals are) to develop more offense by doing more with the balls that land midcourt,” said her coach Cam Watts, “also trying to generate more speed on her ground strokes and serves to get free points.”

Holland said she was able to win the tournament by “being patient and trying to wait to set up the point to finish it.”

Having summer tournaments like the Iowa Open helps her get prepared for the season and complete her goals.

Another standout player last weekend was Linn-Mar sophomore Garrett Bauermeister. He beat Easton Moon in the 16U finals, 6-1, 6-4.

His success came from “putting balls in play and keeping my head in. I just worked hard the whole match.”

For Bauermeister, the Iowa Open prepares him for the next season by “putting me against the best players across Iowa who are putting in time all year.”

He would like to “make state and hopefully place” next spring.

He had a good time at the tournament, too. Winning the singles title definitely topped off Bauermeister’s weekend.

“It's been fun,” he said. “(I have) lots of friends here. (I’ve) been able to play doubles with them and against them.”