West Jordan senior Kourtney Young won the 5A No. 1 state singles title last Tuesday, taking the crown from the reigning Utah tennis queen, Christina Doerr, the previous 4A/5A champ.
Young previously lost in the state semis until her senior year, when she met her friend Doerr. But because of inclement weather, she had to wait before playing this anticipated match. That was hard for her.
"It was a big relief (to finally play on Tuesday)," she said. "I'd been stressing, hadn't played over the weekend. Homecoming was Saturday. I just wanted to play that match against Christina. I'd lost in the semis every other year. Semi match against Christina, best player in the state, then, it's postponed."
Few gave Young much of a chance against Doerr, the Lone Peak standout who is ranked 55th nationally (Young is in the 200s) and had won 4A and 5A titles in consecutive years. Doerr is bigger, stronger and hits the ball a ton.
Young knew she had the game, and so did her family. Her mother, Kriss Young, works as Sports Mall tennis coordinator and she believed Young's game could challenge Doerr.
"I knew she had a chance," Kriss Young said. "She's always had a hard draw at state."
After downing Doerr in the semifinals, Young beat Weber freshman Maryanne McFarlane in straight sets to win the 5A finals.
Young's game has been honed by many pros over the years. Kriss Young credited Rick Billings, Drew Sweet, Ben Bair, Lindsey Rawstorne and Scott Browning, a personal trainer at Sports Mall, for helping her daughter improve.
"Kourtney is a bull dog, a pit bull, a fighter, fights for every point, never gives up," said Rawstorne, the head pro at Canyon Racquet Club. "Physically, she is fitter than any of her opponents. When you are fit and mentally tough, good things are going to happen."
Pros help but Young's tennis family comes first and foremost.
Grandpa Bob Grant and Grandma Marilyn built a tennis court in the back yard when Young was in high school, and the family's love of tennis was born. Her older brother, Dantley, played at Utah State for four years, and he knows both tennis and his younger sister.
"Something just clicked around August 2006, when she won the Summer Sizzler," he said. "She's been doing well ever since, her confidence has soared since then. She works really hard off the court in the gym. All that hard work paid off, she persevered and blossomed on the court."
Dantley believes she has much more game and more options than other players.
"She has so many weapons: She can slice, awesome hands at the net, excels at volleys," he said. "She likes the net, most girls seem almost scared to come into the net. She comes in to shorten the point, uses her athletic ability to get up there and put the ball away instead of staying back. She's good at putting pressure on her opponents. She uses the short slice to bring her opponent into the net where they are uncomfortable."
He also thinks she has what it takes to excel on a collegiate level.
"Wherever she goes to college, she will be an impact player, because she is good at singles and doubles, which is critical in college tennis," he said. "By getting the doubles points you have the confidence going into the singles matches. The same players play singles and doubles so it is very important to have both skills.
"Kourtney will never lose a match because of lacking fitness," he continued. "She could play all day if necessary."
Young would love to play college tennis and is currently considering her options, which include the University of Utah, Gonzaga, Utah State, Air Force and Loyola Marymount.
On the court, Young likes to keep her opponents guessing, and she plays well from everywhere.
"I'm an all-court player, like to mix up the game, like to see my opponent's weakness and then go after it," she said. "Maybe try a drop shot, make my opponent come into the net, that's my signature shot. Love to get up to the net, love doubles, like to serve and volley. My mom and I both love Martina Hingis, she can hit every shot. I like Sharapova and Nadal for their intensity."
Kourtney was "not at all intimidated" by Doerr.
"I knew that I have an all-court game," she said. "She has had the strength and the power over me, but over the past year, I've been lifting hard, with lots of physical training, so I can hit a ball just as hard. Fitness is key. I am definitely not as big as some of the other girls. So I've gotten a lot stronger and quicker."
But she doesn't believe her potential has been fully tapped yet.
"I want to continue to work really hard to improve," Young said. "I feel like I have a lot of room to improve my game, through the college years and beyond."
Winning the 5A crown would have even been sweeter for Young had her friend, Desiree Bastian, been there. The former Viewmont tennis standout died in an automobile accident earlier this year.
"I wish that Desiree Bastian could have been at state this year. I know a lot of the other girls feel the same way," Young said. "(Desiree's death) has made a big difference in my tennis and life. Opened my eyes to what is important. I started enjoying tennis more at that point. Tennis has given me so many opportunities, why not enjoy it?"