From staff reports

Westwood’s quest for a fourth-straight UIL Class 6A team tennis state title came up just short Thursday morning. The Woodlands edged the Warriors 10-9 in a thrilling final at the Hurd Tennis Center at Baylor University in Waco.

The two perennial powers battled back and forth from the first serve, with the match ultimately decided in the late singles courts.

Westwood’s boys provided a strong start, taking two of three doubles matches. Daniel Zhang and Kishan Anusuri claimed a straight-sets victory, while Aayush Parikh and Durga Charan Kodakandla added another point with a 7-5, 6-3 win.

The Woodlands countered by sweeping two of the girls’ doubles matches and capturing the mixed doubles point for an early 4-3 lead.

The singles round showcased both teams’ depth and resilience. Zhang continued his postseason dominance with a straight-sets win, and Kodakandla and Ethan Wang followed with victories to keep the Warriors within striking distance.

On the girls’ side, Maya Rajan and Rachana Akkineni each rallied for third-set tiebreak wins, and Jiya Guleria pulled out a tight [13-11] match to give Westwood late hope.

Unfortunately for the Warriors, The Woodlands held firm in key moments, clinching the championship as Ahona Chowdhury and Zoe Young each swept their singles and doubles matches.

Westwood has claimed five state championships since 2019.