Best friends, better teammates
It means something to be the best boys doubles teams at Memorial. • Even second best isn’t bad. • Since 2012, the Mustangs have produced four state champions and three finalists. Twice in that time span, the title match featured two Memorial teams. • That was the case this year — and Andrew Esses and Artur Zigman were the last two standing. • The duo held off teammates Benjamin Westwick and Anthony Huynh at the district meet, then lost to their classmates, but came back and beat them for the Class 6A state championship. • “It was definitely weird because we went to dinner the previous night,” Zigman said. “Then we went on the bus together. We warmed up together at the high school right next to each other. They didn’t talk to us that much that day. We didn’t talk very much to them. But it’s cool for the school that two of the best teams in the state this year were both from Memorial.” • But the best in 2017 is the tandem of Esses and Zigman.
Q: How was the spring season? Esses: “It was very good for us as players. I think we developed a lot as a doubles team. From the first time we stepped on the court, we had work to do and I really think all those matches throughout the season, we were able to tune things up and really get ready for state.”
Q: What made you two fit so well together?
Zigman: “We’re definitely different. Andrew’s shorter and I’m taller. I’m a little bit stronger, but he’s very good around the net. I would say I have very good returns of serving and because of that, he’s able to maneuver a lot of people on the other team with his touch and how well he seeks plays.”
Esses: “We’re different players, but that difference really helped us as a doubles team. We have a lot of variety and we communicate well. And one of the best things is we’re best friends off the court. Just having that chemistry throughout matches builds our relationship between us.”
Q: What’s the hardest part that you have to make work?
Zigman: “For us, we play best when we’re talking with each other a lot. A lot of communication. Taking time between points. Thinking about where we’re going to serve.
“If you get mad at each for say one point, we just forget about it going to the next point. If we remember that for a game or two, I don’t think we would have won the first round at the state tournament.”
Q: Looking back at it now, just how was it playing your friends for a state title?
Esses: “It was tough at regionals for us. Playing our friends was very different and we did not handle it the right way. It was almost too quiet and too friendly — Artur and I do better in an atmosphere where we’re playing for our team.
“At state, we definitely pushed that to the side and when we wanted to yell, we would yell. We were playing for a state title, which is big. The night before, we talked for about 45 minutes and we knew we had to forget who we were playing.”
Q: Is there pressure playing boys doubles at Memorial with the past success?
Esses: “Artur and I knew we had big shoes to fill. There have been great teams from Memorial. I was around when Grant Reichmann and William Jou won (in 2013). My brother (Dane Esses) was on the team.
“From there, I learned about the program and saw how there was a habit of winning in the program. It’s nice that Artur and I can continue that and be a part of that.”