Division’s Chou Captures Nassau County Singles Title

It was a victory four years in the making.

Division’s Lilliana Chou defeated Hannah Wang of Syosset 6-1, 6-1 in the Nassau County singles championship at Eisenhower Park on Sunday morning, securing a win she has been pursuing since she began playing high school tennis.

“This is my fourth year playing, so it means a lot,” said Chou. “I got further each year, so it’s nice to keep progressing, and finally be able to get the title this year.”

Chou, a junior, utilized her variety in order to come through with the win against Wang, using her array of slices and drop shots to keep her opponent on her heels. 

“I really like to use my slice and drop shot, but it was hard today because she is really fast,” Chou explained. “It was a really tough match. I just tried to stay calm, but also make sure I kept myself pumped up throughout the match. I wanted to keep a positive energy.”

The tournament began last weekend, with the opening rounds being played across Saturday and Sunday. But rain pushed the final rounds to be played this past weekend. Throughout the week in between, Chou made sure to maintain her normal training and practice schedule to stay prepared for the championship. 

“The preparation is always there, and I honestly practiced around 2-3 hours each day after school,” she said. “Sometimes the legs don’t always feel 100 percent, but I wanted to make sure I was ready and focused.”

Chou now sets her sights on the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Championships, which will be held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center from October 26-28. A year ago, an injury forced her out of the tournament earlier, but she is excited to compete at States again. 

“This builds up my confidence a lot, and I feel really excited,” said Chou. “I’ll do a lot of preparation over this next week to get ready for it.”

Joining Chou at States will be Wang, and Clare Seo of Roslyn. Seo defeated Hewlett’s Tiffany Lin in the third-place match on Sunday to qualify for the State Championships.