Given his class, many might not expect sophomore Jordan Krasner to be one of the dominating forces on the boys tennis team. However, Krasner has been one of the leading players on the team, competing in the No. 1 singles for WJ.

Coming from a family of competitive tennis players, Krasner was encouraged to play at a young age. He started the sport at the age of five, and has been hooked ever since. Now, 10 years later, he continues to play, and his skills and passion for the sport are stronger than ever. He says tennis is the sport that he has always been most drawn to as it fits him well.

“I love tennis,” he said. “It’s a great sport. I’m good at it, it’s fun and it’s just the sport I play.”

Krasner made the WJ tennis team, an all-varsity sport, last year as a freshman. He ended the 2009 season with an impressive personal record of 8-3. So far this season, he has won three of his four matches, and there are high expectations for him to have another successful season.

Boys tennis coach Mike Laukaitis and Krasner’s teammates agree that, as the No. 1 player, Krasner sets the tone for the rest of the team; despite his young age and small size, he is a player to look up to. Even upperclassmen on the team rely on his abilities to help secure wins.

“Jordan, [who we call] ‘the Oranguatan,’ is really the anchor of the entire team,” said junior Eric Duong. “Once in a while he may lose focus during practice, but during our matches he really hunkers down and sets the tone for the rest of the team.”

In order to be so successful on the sport, Krasner must use more than just his athletic abilities. Over the years, he has gained a high knowledge of tennis. Also, Krasner has learned to bring many mental strategies into his game – a skill much Laukaitis appreciates.

“Lots of players can learn from [Krasner’s] mental game,” said Laukaitis. “He’s a mental tiger; he’s very composed on the court, yet agressive at the same time. He really thinks about how to beat his opponents. He really understands his opponents.”

Krasner’s gift as a tennis player isn’t the only advantage he has on the court; although he plays right-handed, his ability to serve left-handed gives him a slight edge as his opponents aren’t accustomed to returning left-handed serves. Also, his speed and small size help him sprint to the ball and maneuver easily around the court.

“[Tennis] is a no contact sport, so its good for little people like me,” he said.

Outside of WJ, Krasner plays in United States Tennis Association (USTA) tournaments, and was ranked 40th in the boys 16 and under mid-Atlantic region.

To improve his skills and stay strong and in shape, Krasner practices tennis four to five times a week and does conditioning drills daily on his own. These extra hours of tennis and physical activity are necessities to make Krasner competitive in USTA tournaments.

“I usually practice most days for about an hour,” said Krasner. “Practicing is important, because it keeps you on top of your game.”

Krasner hopes to continue to play tennis in college at the Division I level. He has a profile on TennisRecruiting.net to help with the recruitment process.

However, Krasner still has over two seasons of high school tennis until he moves on to the NCAA level. Regardless of where he is playing or at what level, he is just happy to have found a sport that he both enjoys and excels at.

“I enjoy practicing and improving,” he said. “It’s just a fun sport, and I’m glad I’ve gotten involved in it.”