Girls tennis: 2025 Northwest Herald All-Area team

First team

Singles

Isabella Kowalak, sr., Hampshire

Kowalak, who went 21-8 overall this season, returns to the All-Area first team after winning the FVC singles tournament championship and advancing to the Class 2A state tournament. Kowalak qualified for state after a fourth-place finish at the Guilford Sectional.

Ella Doughty, sr., Huntley

An All-Area first-team selection last season, Doughty compiled a 23-7 record this year, winning the Class 2A Guilford Sectional singles championship. Doughty, the Lakes 16 champion and a third-place finisher at the Jacobs 16 3rd place, qualified for state and won one match at the state tournament.

Jordan Cheng, so., Marian Central

Cheng, a Northwest Herald All-Area second-teamer last year, finished with a 19-6 record and won both a front draw match and a back draw match at the Class 1A state tournament this season. Cheng won the Cary-Grove Sectional singles title and helped Marian Central secure the team championship.

Doubles

Ainura (left) and Gulnara (right) Baidylaeva — Ainura (left) and Gulnura (right) Baidylaeva (Photos courtesy of Huntley)

Ainura Baidylaeva (so.) and Gulnura Baidylaeva (so.), Huntley

The Huntley doubles duo went 24-5 and won both the FVC regular season and tournament titles without dropping a set. They also won the Lakes 16 and the IHSA 2A sectional title at Guilford without dropping a set. The girls won three matches and advanced to the second day of the state tournament.

Jenna Remke (left) and Julia Lukey (right) (Photos courtesy of Marian Central)

Jenna Remke (sr.) and Julia Lukey (so.), Marian Central

Remke (30-5) and Lukey (31-4) make the First Team for the second straight season. The girls won the IHSA 1A sectional tournament at Cary-Grove to qualify for state. Remke and Lukey won three matches on the first day of the 1A state tournament and played through to the consolation semifinals on the third day. The girls were named Second Team All-State players.

Sasha Bozovic (left) and McKenna Fernstrom (right) (Photos courtesy of Dundee-Crown)

Sasha Bozovic (sr.) and McKenna Fernstrom (jr.), Dundee-Crown

Bozovic and Fernstrom went 19-7 and took second place at the FVC tournament this season. The D-C duo also won a doubles tournament during the regular season. “This was their second year playing together and they showed tremendous improvement,” D-C coach Yuto Tsukida said.

Zoe Nanos (left) and Charlie Benton (right) (Photos courtesy of Prairie Ridge)

Zoe Nanos (sr.) and Charlie Benton (jr.), Prairie Ridge

Benton and Nanos went 15-13 overall and placed fifth at the FVC tournament this season. The Prairie Ridge combo qualified for the IHSA 1A state tournament after taking third at the 1A Cary-Grove sectional tournament. Benton and Nanos went 1-2 over three state tournament matches.