Garden City’s Bravo Wins Nassau County Singles Title

Angelina Bravo is now the owner of two Nassau County Individual titles.

Bravo backed up her doubles title in 2023 with the singles title in 2024, defeating Alex Raikos of Mepham 6-4, 6-0 in the championship match on Sunday afternoon at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow.

“It feels great,” she said. “After playing doubles last year, I knew I wanted to come out here and play singles this year. I’ve been training a lot, every day for almost four hours, and I think all of that has paid off. Winning last year in doubles helped me realize I can win, even though I am younger, and that I can compete with the girls at this level.”

Prior to the season, Bravo was unsure if she would even be able to play for Garden City this fall due to her rigid training schedule outside of school. But Bravo and her team were able to work it out, and she was thrilled to play high school tennis for another year.

“Last year I made so many friends and the vibe of the team was amazing,” said Bravo. “I think the team aspect is a huge reason a lot of girls decide to play.”

Seeded fourth in the Individual Championships, Bravo defeated top-seed Angel Walia of Herricks in the semifinals before meeting the third-seeded Raikos in the finals. She knew that Raikos was one of the more consistent players in the entire tournament, which forced her to pick her spots on when to be aggressive, including mixing in drop shots from time to time.

“My strategy was to play the balls in and not try to over hit, because she is such a consistent player,” she explained. “I had to be more consistent and find my opportunities to attack. I had to be smart about it. I have some pretty good touch and it’s a weapon I like to use. When you move players side-to-side, they eventually hit short, and when there’s less pace on the ball coming back, it’s a great time to drop shot.”

Bravo and Raikos now advance to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Individual Championships, which run from Monday, October 28 – Wednesday, October 30 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Joining them at states will be Walia, won the first two games of the third-place match before Roslyn’s Anika Tolat was forced to retire with an injury.

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THE 2024 NASSAU COUNTY INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIPS