It’s a warm, sunny Thursday, and Kelsey Slavich is about to put the finishing touches on a 6-0, 6-0 win.
San Benito High’s No. 1 singles player ended things with a two-handed slice backhand — yes, two-handed — that her Monterey opponent, Hye Wo-Cho, barely makes a play for.
It wouldn’t have mattered anyway, because Slavich’s shot was hit with such precision and underspin that the ball barely bounced once it hit the ground.
The match lasted all of 40 minutes, and Slavich did what she does best, slicing and chipping — a slice forehand in tennis vernacular — for the duration of the contest.
The fact that Slavich rarely, if ever, goes over the ball — meaning hitting with topspin — makes her a unique player in any era, let alone today’s game.
Unconventional? Yes. Effective? No doubt.
“I’ve been playing like that since I started at age 6,” said Slavich, who was 6-4 entering Tuesday’s key Monterey Bay League Gabilan Division match against Salinas. “Everyone was hitting with topspin, and I wanted to do something else. People don’t expect it (a player hitting slice off both the forehand and backhand sides), and it throws them off their game.”
At 5-foot-5, Slavich isn’t going to scare opponents with her size. In fact, nothing about Slavich’s game seems overly impressive. And that’s the point: Slavich is remarkably consistent, cool under pressure and rarely beats herself.
“Kelsey maximizes her potential,” Haybalers coach Ed Cecena said. “She really gets the most out of her abilities, and as a coach it’s always great when you see someone who plays to their abilities and then some.”
Slavich has methodically worked her way up the singles ladder, starting at No. 4 as a freshman before playing No. 3 as a sophomore and junior. Now that she’s in the No. 1 position, Slavich has faced high-ranking junior players who are playing on another level.
“There’s a huge difference in competition playing at No. 1,” Slavich said. “There’s more attention on you with people watching, but I like the spotlight. I didn’t like it at first, but I got used to it.”
Slavich lives two blocks away from Ridgemark’s tennis facility, and growing up she often played with her older sister Kristina, who was the No. 2 singles player for San Benito three years ago.
“I looked up to her but always wanted to beat her, too,” Slavich said.
Slavich is one of the many bright spots for the surprising Balers, who entered Tuesday’s action at 9-2 overall and 7-0 in the Monterey Gabilan Division.
San Benito last won a championship in 2008, when it finished as co-champions with Salinas. The Balers’ success has revolved around several factors, including being mentally tough, playing smart and developing a strong work ethic.
“A lot of these girls worked very hard in the offseason,” Cecena said. “The biggest thing we’ve emphasized to the girls is to be observant of your opponent during prematch rallies. Every ball they hit is information in terms of how you’re going to play and attack them once the match starts.”
San Benito has enjoyed tremendous success in close matches, winning multiple contests by 4-3 decisions.
In the first round of league play, the Balers beat Alisal and Salinas by 4-3 scores; the No. 1 doubles team of Leeann Gutierrez and Rachel Logue provided the decisive point against Alisal and No. 4 singles player Mikayla Irvin clinched the winning point against Salinas.
