Edward Little’s Jonah Chen returns the ball to Hampden Academy’s Finn Costrucco during the No. 1 singles match of a Class A North quarterfinal tennis match in Lewiston on May 30. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal
The easy-going, well-mannered Jonah Chen has always let his racquet do the talking on any tennis court.
Brevity is a part of his nature, but so is winning. Edward Little’s No. 1 singles player did a lot of that during his senior season and that is why he has been named Sun Journal All-Region Boys Tennis Player of the Year.
“A lot of people helped me get where I got,” Chen said.
Watching Chen on the court is like getting a textbook demonstration of self-control. He doesn’t get rattled, or at least he doesn’t show it, and remains focused.
He credits his team and coaches for getting him to the individual tournament. Chen also helped the Red Eddies beat Hampden Academy 4-1 in the Class A North quarterfinals before they fell to Skowhegan 4-1 in the semis.
“(The team) had a really fun time. Everything was fun — whether we lost or whether we won — it was just a great time all-around,” Chen said.
Chen went 12-0 in the regular season and 13-1 overall this spring. He also earned Region 4’s top seed in the state qualifier and was the 12th seed at the state tournament, but was upended by Greely’s Charles Segal 6-3, 6-1 in the first round.
Chen played basketball until high school, but he thrives on the tennis court — a sport he will probably play the rest of his life.
“I like the aspect of tennis being an individual sport focused more on myself,” he said. “(My dad Bill) really helped me a lot.”
Edward Little coach Greg Vincent, who has coached Chen the past three years, praised Chen for his athleticism and “being a fine person.“
“He has been the No. 1 player for all three years,” said Vincent, who has spent 14 years as Edward Little’s coach. “I think to this point, yeah, he’s the best male player that I’ve seen come out of Edward Little … as far as the players I’ve seen.”
Vincent said there is no secret to Chen’s success on the court.
“He plays all the time,” Vincent said. “He plays and he practices. He is out there practicing with his dad. He never misses a practice. I don’t think he has missed a practice in three years or a match in three seasons. Think about that. That’s amazing.
“He was always our best player. His record is great, but just commitment to the team and what he brought every day. He did everything I asked him (to do).”
Vincent often asked Chen to work with younger players coming up through the ranks or who weren’t as experienced as Chen, who is bound for Trinity College where he will be studying biochemistry and playing club tennis for the Bantams.
“He would do that,” Vincent said. “He just did it. He wasn’t like, ‘I am too good for this.’ Never did I get that from Jonah Chen.”
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