Bellport youth tennis tournament a hit with players

Avery Koenig is an avid tennis player and a fan of defending U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff.

She admires Gauff’s powerful backhand and court savvy, including what she calls Gauff’s ability to know “the right time to attack.”

At 20, Gauff, the Open’s No. 3 seed, is not much older than Koenig, 15, who said she likes tennis because of the individual nature of the sport.

“I like how everything’s on you,” she said.

On Saturday, two days before the first day of the U.S. Open, Koenig was part of a group of youngsters who took to the courts at the Bellport Tennis Center for the club’s first-ever youth tennis tournament.

Eight youngsters participated in the event for players ages 12 to 17 and they had a great time in a no-pressure environment, where having fun was more important than the score.

“They’re happy, and that’s the most important thing,” said Louis Nunez, tennis director for the Bellport Tennis Center, who organized the event.

“I thought it was a lot of fun,” said Hayden Sutter, 14, who used the tournament to try out a variety of shots he doesn’t usually try in matches for his high school team or in USTA tournaments.

Jordana Heller, 12, another of the players, was introduced to tennis by her grandmother and plays four or five times a week.

“It’s a lot of exercise and a lot of fun,” said Heller, who said her forehand is the best part of her game. She’s also working on her lob and top spin.