Boys Tennis: ‘He lives, eats and breathes tennis’ St. Charles North’s Mattas Ciabilis starred as one of area’s best

North Stars’ junior took third in conference, second in sectionals

ST. CHARLES – St. Charles North junior No. 1 singles player Mattas Ciabilis is “just an absolute monster” when he hits a tennis ball.

“He hits a real flat ball and the thing just comes off his racquet,” St. Charles North tennis coach Sean Masoncup said. “What he’s really known for: We were playing [against] a hall of fame coach down from Edwardsville [David Lipe] and he saw Mattas play [In the NaperValley Invite Tournament in May]....he said: ‘The one thing about [Mattas] that’s unique is he has a one-handed backhand.

“There’s only like Roger Federer who has it. It’s very Roger Federer-esque,” Masoncup recalled of the conversation. “...You just don’t see one-handers in the game of tennis anymore. Most people are two-handed backhands. All the big names are two-handed, except for Federer. That’s what Mattas has. Mattas has this huge one-handed long stroke...he just rips the ball.”

That fierce backhand certainly came in handy this season for one of the area’s top singles competitors.

Ciablis placed third at No. 1 singles at the DuKane Conference meet, and was second in singles at sectionals before going 1-2 at state.

Ciabilis is the 2021 Chronicle boys Tennis Player of the Year.

“He for sure will be one of the top four players [in St. Charles North program history],” Masoncup said. “Conor Bajuk, who just left, Danny Oakes, David Johnson and John Mittvick. After them, he’s in that group. He’s only a junior, so he has the ability to be one of our top three, four, if not the top best player we’ve ever had.”

During Ciabilis’ freshman year, Bajuk was a teammate – and thought “I’ll never reach that point [of how good he is]”.

Now, “I can play the same kids. I can beat the same people.”

“He’s the most dedicated player I’ve ever had,” Masoncup continued. “By far. Hands down. Not even close. What I mean by that, is: Not that my other players weren’t. When you’re a good tennis player, you’re dedicated to the game. You have to play a lot. Mattas is the one that plays every single day, multiple hours a day.”

Ciabilis would attend team practice and never ask to leave. He’d then drive to Wheaton at its local sports center 30 minutes away and play for another 2 1/2 hours. Then, he’d go home and do his studies.

“He’d do that every single day, even when we had a match,” Masoncup said.

Ciabilis would also help out a younger player’s three-hour tennis program and then stay for the next group’s anyway.

“When I was coaching basketball, I used to call it a ‘gym rat,’” Masoncup said. “I guess I could call him a ‘court rat’. I don’t know the term, [but] he is just one kid that loves to be on the tennis court and just loves to hit tennis balls...He lives, eats and breathes tennis.”

Ciabilis’ most rewarding part of his season was simply making it to state for the first time. Playing through the extreme heat while balancing playing in three state matches in a day was difficult, but Ciabilis made the best of it.

“I was happy. I was trying not to be nervous because I had no idea who I was going to play, what the weather was like or how I was going to perform. I tried to stay positive,” Ciabilis said.

Kane County Chronicle All-Area boys tennis team

Joe Adams (Geneva), Jacob Arulandu (Batavia), Brady Barnes (St. Charles North), Jason Bijonowski (St. Charles East), Kory Carlson (St. Francis), Cam Clausen (Geneva), Mattas Ciabilis (St. Charles North), Cal McKittrick (Geneva), Hank McClure (Batavia), Sanjay Dave (Batavia), Sam Mickus (Geneva), Matt Kazmirak (St. Francis), Quincy Moss (St. Charles East), Sriram Swaminathan (Batavia), Tiernan Price (St. Charles East), Divya Shah (St. Charles East), Jon Spicer (St. Charles North), Erik Warner (Batavia), Luke Welker (Burlington Central), Kohl Winkle (Batavia), Bryce Vander Horn (St. Charles North)