DLN Boys Tennis Player of the Year: Downingtown East’s Srivastava wore the mantle of a champion in both singles, doubles

Downingtown East’s Abhiraj Srivastava, the 2022 Daily Local News Boys Tennis Player of the Year, is a versatile performer that wore the mantle of a champion in both singles and doubles this past spring.
After finishing in first place in the Ches-Mont National singles tournament for the second year in a row, Srivastava teamed with his twin brother Abhineet to win the District 1 3A doubles tournament, then finish second in the PIAA 3A state doubles championships.
The road to these championships wasn’t entirely a smooth one –- Srivastava had to bounce back from deficits in the early rounds to advance.
In the Ches-Mont National singles tournament championship final against West Chester East’s Ben Gao, Srivastava lost the first set by a 6-2 score before coming back to win the next two sets, 6-1 and 6-3.
“After losing the first set I remember being really frustrated and angry,” said Srivastava. “Ben played excellently in the first set, he was consistent from the baseline and he finished very well up at the net. I, on the other hand, tried to play too aggressively and aim for the white lines.
“During the break of sets, I told my coach that, even though my shots were off the mark, my effort will be higher than it has even been. That exchange of words I had with Coach (Chris) Waychunas and (assistant coach Julie) Luzins gave me motivation and confidence to bounce back and win.”
A few minutes after that victory, Waychunas said, “It’s very rare to win this title two years in a row, but Abhiraj has been a leader of our team since his freshman year. He’s fluid, his return of serve is really good and he has a good sense of who he is as a player.”

The Downingtown East head coach particularly values Srivastava’s all-around play, versatility and mental toughness.
“The best part of Raj’s game is his return of serve, which in my opinion is the best in the state,” said Waychunas. “Raj is an exceptional teammate and a complete player in all aspects of the game. This gives him versatility and mental toughness that helps him achieve at such a high level in both singles and doubles.”
After winning the District 1 3A doubles title with Abhineet (who, like Abhiraj, is currently a rising senior at Downingtown East), Srivastava ran into another challenge in the opening round of the state doubles tourney, losing the first set to District 3 third-place finishers William Ong and Ross Kluger of Cumberland Valley, 6-7 (2), and trailing in the second set 4-5.
“We were a game away from losing, so with no pressure in mind, we decided to stick with the basics,” said Srivastava. “It was Abhineet’s crucial first serves, perseverance and a little bit of luck that helped us pull through that match.”
The Cougar duo then won the next two matches to advance to the championship finals against the District 3 doubles champs, Aidan and Tyler Mahaffey of Palmyra.
Abhiraj reflected on what has made him and Abhineet an effective doubles combo.
“We know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and I think the key is the amount of time we spend on the court together,” said Srivastava. “It is hard to remember any time my brother and I were not on the court hitting together. This time together, on and off the court, is a big factor in our success so far. With Abhineet being a right hander and I a left hander, it makes us an effective combination in doubles.”
Waychunas said, “The chemistry they have can’t be taught, it is natural. They always know where to be, and what shot to hit.”
On an individual basis, Abhiraj noted that, recently, he has worked hard with Waychunas on his second serve percentage.
“Abhiraj has made tremendous strides in his serve lately, adding more kick and control,” said Waychunas.
Srivastava was introduced to tennis at the age of 7 by his father, who introduced him to coach Justin DePietropaolo of Just Tennis.

DePietropaolo said, “Abhiraj and his brother played in my 8 and under local league program with red transition balls on a small 36 foot court. You could tell there was talent from the first time I saw him, but the biggest thing I saw was his fire and his consistency that he still has today. He’s a competitor and would fight for every point- even at the age of 7. He then moved up to play on one of my USTA 10 and under teams and he brought the same fire and intensity – fighting for every point.”
One year later, the Srivastava twins started playing competitive tennis at Level7 Tennis Academy with coach Fazal Syed, a former Davis Cup player for India.
“Fazal has been my [and Abhineet’s] primary coach, helping us develop strong fundamentals and motivating us to play tennis at a higher level,” said Srivastava.
Abhiraj’s favorite tennis player is Novak Djokovic.
“His athleticism, resilience and sheer determination to win are some of the things I try to replicate in my own game,” said Srivastava.
Off the tennis court at Downingtown East, Srivastava plays drums in the school band (his favorite performance song is “Coconut Champagne”), and is a member of DECA and the school’s Aerospace Club, which was founded by his brother.
“In the Aerospace Club, I really enjoy learning side-by-side with like-minded and passionate students,” said Srivastava, whose favorite subjects at Downingtown East are physics and mathematics. “Data science and computational engineering is a [possible] career path that interests me.”

Fun facts – Abhiraj Srivastava
Favorite book: The Sword of Summer.
Favorite author: Rick Riordan.
Favorite TV show: Stranger Things.
Favorite athlete: Novak Djokovic.
Favorite team: Philadelphia 76ers.
Pre-match preparation the day of a match: “I always make sure to stretch, hydrate and read my tennis journal. All of this helps me to be ready both physically and mentally.”
Favorite tennis venue: “I loved playing at the Crandon Park Tennis Center in Key Biscayne, Fla. I went there to play in the Orange Bowl International Tennis Tournament in 2016, and the courts are surrounded by the ocean and many palm trees.”