Being a part of the women’s tennis team for the past four years showing her determination, competitiveness and love for the sport–Vibha Kestur (‘24) has been representing Green Hope both on and off the court. In an interview with the GH Falcon, Captain Vibha Kestur of the 2023 women’s tennis team spoke to us about her journey as a Falcon student-athlete and her plans for the foreseeable future.
How long have you been playing tennis and how long have you been playing for the Green Hope tennis team?
I’ve been playing tennis since I was eight years old, so about ten years now. I have been playing tennis on the Green Hope’s Tennis team all four years of high school.
How is it being the Doubles State Champion in 2022?
It was a cool and awesome experience and I loved playing with my great friend Olivia Corcoran (‘24) because we work well together, so it was a lot of fun playing with her. It was fantastic helping bring home another state championship for Green Hope.
Who inspired you to play tennis?
I don’t necessarily think that I was inspired to play tennis. Cary has a big tennis community and my parents put me into the sport when I was younger to be active and it turned out I was good at it and passionate about tennis so I stuck with it.
What are your ambitions after high school? Do you see yourself playing tennis for college?
No, I don’t see myself playing tennis professionally or for a college team. Tennis is more of a hobby that I love, so I would probably be more [for] club tennis as I strive for a career within the health field.
Who do you look up to within the tennis community?
I look up to my friend Olivia Corcoran, not only was she my teammate but also my friend and her tennis journey has inspired me as she is committed to going Division One tennis starting next fall at Villanova University in Pennsylvania. Another person that I admire in the tennis community is Coco Guaff. She just won the U.S Open, which is a huge tennis tournament, at only 19 years old and that’s inspiring and motivating because she is so young and already so brilliant.
What is your favorite memory of playing tennis?
My favorite memory would be winning the state championship for doubles here at Green Hope. It made me feel really happy that I am a part of the team and that my hard work paid off to be able to win states.
How is it being captain?
I love being team captain, it is a cool job and responsibility to take on, seeing that just four years ago I was a freshman on the team and now I’m leading the team. One responsibility that I take on with being captain is to motivate and inspire the team and if they have any questions about anything I’m always there to help them.
What advice would you give your fellow underclassman teammates?
Some advice I would give my fellow underclassman teammates is to be competitive. It is really important to get out there and try your hardest and best to win even if you have doubts and don’t think you will win. It is always good to get out there with a positive mindset, especially this year we haven’t been winning as much, but I think for next year it is important to keep trying and pushing hard toward success.
What do you hope for the Green Hope tennis team in the future?
I hope that the Green Hope tennis team and community will grow and maybe in the future become junior varsity and varsity because a lot more people who try out do not get in but because we only have a varsity team, I feel that we limit Green Hope’s potential to grow the community and give more opportunities to the players who wouldn’t necessarily make varsity.
As Kestur finishes her career as a Falcon tennis player, her current records showcase her ongoing season as 18-4 performing in all aspects of the team— whether it be doubles or singles. The Green Hope women’s tennis team’s next match is on Oct. 4 against Cary High.
