Hot 100 List - July 2024 (2024)

Who's Hot

Hot 100 List - July 2024

by James Hill, 29 July 2024

TheLotto Elite Hot 100 lists are published each month, and the July Hot 100 lists feature the 100 boys and girls who most improved their rankings during the month of June. You can find out more about the Lotto Elite Hot 100 - and how the lists are calculated - by reading here.

The latest lists are available here:

• Boys' Hot 100
• Girls' Hot 100

We talked to some of the top performers:

Arian Patel (San Antonio, Texas)

Arian Patel (WTN: 20.7) climbed to No. 323 in the Tennis Recruiting Network Boys Rankings from the 396th position.

The 6-foot-1 right-handed two-star posted a 9-2 singles record and won the ITA Summer Points Race Series tournament held at Trinity University in his hometown of San Antonio. Patel also reached the semifinals of the L3 Texas Slam Closed Sectional in Plano, Texas.

“I have been working on the game’s tactical components and different point situations,” said Patel, a rising senior at Alamo Heights High School. “The work I spent on these things helped tremendously during tournaments. In addition, I have been working a lot on my mindfulness and staying positive on the court, which have helped me stay focused under pressure.”

Patel is coached by Adrian Valdez of the San Antonio Tennis Academy, and Michael Kelly of the nearby Shavano Park Tennis Club. He is working with his coaches on “developing his serve into a weapon,” and his return of serve. Patel said they are mainly focusing on shot selection and point construction. The utilization of his strengths have helped him a lot in point play, according to Patel.

“I would describe my game as an all-court player looking to finish points at the net,” Patel said. “I feel I can open the court on both sides and control rallies with this. I would say that my composure is one of my greatest strengths. It has helped me in high-pressure situations.

“I’ve recently increased the intensity and structure of my practices, trying to maximize each one. I’ve also spent more training off-court to increase my speed and endurance. I’ve also spent more time on the mental aspects of the game, such as learning breathing techniques to calm nerves, and visualizations for strategy before matches.”

Patel played on the Alamo Heights tennis team, competing at No. 3 singles as a freshman and the second line as a junior. The Mules reached the University Interscholastic League Class 5A team regional finals each of those seasons.

Nearing graduation from high school in 2025, college is very much on Patel’s mind.

“I would like to play for a coach that likes to develop players,” Patel said. “On a friendly collegial team that plays in a competitive conference. I’m looking for a combination of high-level tennis, with good academics in a friendly environment.”

His parents are Sandeep and Sunita Patel, who introduced him and his older brother to sports “as soon as they could hold a racquet.” Patel’s dad played tennis at Texas Tech University and Boston University. Each week, the Patels would go to college courts and play for a few hours, and Arian watched his brother compete in tournaments. Balin Patel now plays for the UCLA traveling club team.

“Despite being introduced to the sport at the age of 4, I really didn’t engage seriously until the age of 15,” Patel said. “I’ve only started playing tournaments regularly over the past two years. I feel like I’m a late bloomer, and the best years in tennis are ahead of me.”

When asked what distinguishes their son from other players, the Patels replied: “His exemplary sportsmanship and integrity. He is routinely complimented by opponents’ parents and coaches. Arian has been working very hard, not only on his game and fitness, but also his mental approach to the game.”

Chinonso Okpara (Bronxville, New York)

Chinonso Okpara (WTN: 24.9) now stands at No. 290 in the Tennis Recruiting Network Girls Rankings, rising from the 371st slot.

The 5-foot-8 right-handed three-star posted a 5-3 record in June. Okpara advanced to the quarterfinals of the 18s L5 Trumbull (Connecticut) Championships.

Her coach is Colin Miles Douglas, who teaches at Rochdale Park in Queens, New York. Okpara is working with her coach on her serve, developing more power, and also hitting with spin consistently. She also works on footwork and bending of the knees, “since she is tall.”

“I am a strong baseliner who places the ball really well,” Okpara said. “I always try to hit deep so I can set myself up for a winner. I am ready to run, and I am very confident in my defensive skills because I run and get to every ball.

“What distinguishes me from other players is that I prioritize my stretching, recovery, and mental preparation. Being flexible is my priority, and I think many people gloss over it because it’s boring or not actual training. I think it’s calming, as well as physically beneficial, and also mentally refreshing.”

Okpara is a rising junior at The Ursuline School in New Rochelle, New York. She plays No. 1 singles on the varsity team, and doubles with Savannah Minter (New Rochelle). The duo made it to the sectional finals and qualified for state. Okpara was also named the Most Valuable Player and received an all-league award.

A versatile student-athlete, Okpara also is involved with track on the club team White Plains Future Stars. She competes in the 55, 200 and 400 meters.

Academically, Okpara has been on the Honor Roll since middle school. She was also chosen to be a student ambassador,

“I do think about colleges,” Okpara said. “I’m looking for a school with a good athletic and academic balance and a place with diversity. I want a school that can develop me into a well-rounded player, and offer services that support me as an athlete. I also want a school where the academics are strong for my majors of interest like business or computer science. I want a place where I could build discipline and strong connections with others.”

Okpara, who was born in London, England, said she started tennis when she was 5 years old after watching her sister, Chidimma, play. Chidimma currently plays for Stanford University for her fifth and sixth years, but she also competed at Dartmouth.

Her parents are Johnbull and Jacklyn Okpara, who are proud of their daughter’s approach to tennis.

“We ultimately give credit to Coach Miles for putting in effort and trust in Chinonso, believing in her and putting in countless hours,” the Okparas said. “She has a drive and motivation we really didn’t see before to push herself and take control of her tennis.

“Something that Chinonso does differently is that when she makes a mistake, she doesn’t cry, complain or freak out. Chinonso never seems bothered when she makes a mistake, and finds no benefit in making a scene. She bounces back, and just prioritizes positivity, and the fact that this is a game of mistakes.”

Chase Burke (Denver, Colorado)

Chase Burke (WTN: 20.4) rose an outstanding 112 positions to No. 325 in the Tennis Recruiting Network Boys Rankings, up from the 437th slot.

The 6-foot, right-handed, two-star rising senior posted a 10-3 record. Included in this mark was winning the 18s of the L5 Babolat Junior Championships in Arvada, Colorado.

“I think my recent success can be attributed to a number of different factors,” said Burke, who will begin his senior year at Phillips Academy Andover in Andover, Massachusetts. “First, because I go to a boarding school, I played very few tournaments during the school year. But even though I wasn’t playing USTA tournaments, I was still training five to six times a week with my tennis team, and playing high school tennis all spring. It is all the work I have been doing all the last few months revealed.

“I think my increased focus on serving and returning has played a huge role. When you watch players at the highest level, they all have amazing groundstrokes and volleys. I think something that distinguishes the greatest players, which is something I hope to emulate, is their ability to serve and return well. This is something that all coaches emphasize to players from a young age, and I have really seen it pay off recently.”

Burke is a member of the Phillips Academy tennis team and has played No. 1 singles and doubles, moving up from the sixth line in singles and second in doubles. As a team, the squad went undefeated in the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council Class A. Burke earned All-NEPSAC honors for the second year in a row, and he was elected co-captain for next season.

As a student at Phillips Academy, rated as one of the top private high schools in the nation, Burke has a strong interest in math and has completed Advanced Placement in calculus. His coursework is varied and includes a number of subjects.

“I have absolutely been thinking about playing college tennis for about a year now,” Burke said. “There are so many things about college tennis that draw my interest: the team aspect, the high energy and screaming during matches, the long bus rides, and meals together. Right now, I am looking for strong academic schools with tennis programs that prioritize bringing in players looking to improve in their four years in college. I know I have much room to improve and the thought of wasting any of my potential scares me. For that reason, I am looking for a college with coaches and players that will do anything to get better.”

When Burke is in Denver, he is coached by Jess Jones of Gates Tennis Center. The majority of his practices are spent working on the fundamentals: cross-court drills, volleys, point playing, etc.

“Something I have emphasized in my life is consistency,” Burke said. “Not only consistency in each point, but maintaining a high level across matches and tournaments. That is what I consider to be the greatest positive I can take from the last month and a half.

“I have a very balanced game. My ground strokes are fairly even on both sides. I would say my strengths are my serve and volleys. Even though I am not blasting 130 mph serves at my opponent, I do a good job of making my opponent stretch on their returns and take advantage of the first ball.”

His dad is John Burke, who grew up playing tennis in Texas, and later played on the Harvard University tennis team. His mom is Josie Burke, and his parents introduced him to the sport at an early age.

“I think these three areas contributed to Chase’s recent success: a better understanding of how to construct points, an improved serve, and a long stretch of being healthy that allowed him to work on his game heading into summer,” the Burkes said. “Even from a young age, Chase has maintained a very calm demeanor on the court. This has really helped him become a good problem-solver in matches. He doesn’t get distracted by his emotions.”

Zosia Henryson-Gibbs (Springfield, Virginia)

Zosia Henryson-Gibbs (WTN:20.4) moved to No. 158 in the Tennis Recruiting Network Girls Rankings from the 177th position.

The 6-foot, right-handed three-star sported a 9-4 record. Henryson-Gibbs advanced to the quarterfinals in 16s of the L2 event in Grand Rapids, Michigan; and an L3 tournament in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

“I’ve taken two years off from tennis, once to travel the world with my family, and once due to injury,” said Henryson-Gibbs, a rising junior at Langley High School (Virginia).“After last summer, I had to bounce back from having almost no matches on my record. These last few months have represented a culmination of nine months of work. Despite the challenges of school, and high school tennis, I committed to a more intensive travel schedule these last three months, and that has led to a surge in the rankings.”

Henryson-Gibbs is a member of the Langley varsity team and has played the Nos. 1 and 2 positions. Her high school coaches are her mom and dad, Karis Gibbs and Stefan Henryson. Competing in her freshman and sophom*ore years, Henryson-Gibbs was a member of the team’s state championship squads - they have won three in a row - and also won a pair of doubles championships. This year, she won the top spot with her older sister, Arakai Henryson-Gibbs.

Academically, Henryson-Gibbs has received the English Honors Award, is president of the Key Club, and is a member of the French Honor Society. She also takes Advanced Placement classes.

“My main goal in tennis has always been to play at a DI college,” Henryson-Gibbs said. “My mom played at Miami University (Ohio) and she always said it was the best years of her life. Looking at colleges, I obviously want to go to a school that is as competitive as possible in order to continue to challenge myself and improve my game. The most important factor to me is the team spirit and camaraderie among the girls.”

Henryson-Gibbs’ personal coach is Bear Schofield of Pass Academy in McLean, Virginia. The two are working on building up her body. Henryson-Gibbs said she grew six inches when she was 13, and it was hard for her body to keep up. She is focusing on her small muscles to support her body, while also building up her game of tennis. According to Henryson-Gibbs she focuses on hitting short angles, deeper top spin, a more effective slice, and developing a “high tennis IQ.”

“I can generate and handle a lot of power,” Henryson-Gibbs said of her style of play, “but probably my greatest strength is my movement on the court. That, along with my grit. I’m pretty tall and I’ve got a big wingspan. Eventually in doubles that gives me a real advantage at the net. I can also hit a really clean ball and people will tell me my strokes are ‘classic’ - whatever that means.”

Henryson-Gibbs said tennis is a family sport, going all the way back to her great grandfather. Mom and Dad have had a front row seat to her development as a player and as a person.

“Unlike so many other players, Zosia has always attended traditional school and she takes a rigorous course load,” her parents said. “Next year, while training and playing, she will also take Advanced Calculus and Chemistry. This makes Zosia a scholar-athlete. She also devotes time to service, including running tennis clinics for children with Down syndrome.”

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About James Hill

James Hill is the Assistant Sports Information Director at TrinityUniversity in San Antonio and a freelance writer. He has covered alllevels of tennis competition.