For the first time in his state tournament history, Lincoln High School boys tennis senior Will Semler lost a set.
The two-time defending state champion took on Arnav Arora from Mountainside in the semifinals of the second day of the Oregon high school state tennis tournament, hosted by the Babette Horenstein Tennis Center in Beaverton.
Arora snagged the first set 6-2 to put Semler in a hole he’d never faced at the state tournament.
However, Semler wasn’t a two-time state champ for no reason, and the senior rallied back to win the second and third sets 6-2, 7-5 to win the match and advance to the finals.
In the title match Saturday, May 25, Semler had another grind, taking on a fiery Southridge senior in Vitomir Petcov.
Both sets went to a tiebreaker, and Semler found himself down 6-3 in the second set tiebreaker, but both times the Lincoln senior found the extra gear to pull off the set win and take the match 7-6 (5), 7-6 (9).
“This was the most special one because I had the most pressure on me to repeat it,” Semler said. “I’ve been working on trying to compete. I’m not happy with the level, but I couldn’t be more proud of myself for the way I competed in this tournament. I was on the ropes and I learned more about myself in this tournament.”
Semler, who is heading to the University of San Diego next year, has been changing up his game to help adjust to the college game next season.
Those changes made the season more difficult in years past where he breezed through the state tournament.
In the title match, Semler rallied to take the first set thanks to a 7-5 tiebreaker. In the second, Petcov did the rallying by breaking Semler to tie the set up at six games apiece and force another tiebreaker.
Petcov recovered well in the tiebreaker consistently, waiting his shots out until Semler made the unforced error and eventually giving the Southridge senior a 6-3 lead and on verge of forcing a third set.
Instead, Semler dug deep and turned the tables on Petcov, winning a couple long rallies and tying the tiebreaker up at six. Semler and Petcov traded points from there until Semler put two together to win the tiebreak 11-9 and his third state title.
“He’s improved a lot, he’s committed himself to the sport,” Semler said of Petvoc. “He has big hopes and he has a big future ahead of him.”
Being able to pull off the state title for the third time, which is only the 12th time it’s been accomplished on the boys side in Oregon, was quite the accomplishment in not just Semler’s eyes.
“(Semler) works all the time, this is his life and this is his focus,” Lincoln head coach Stuart Allen said. “Of all the accolades he has achieved over the years and all the good things he’s done over the years, the only two things on his wall were the last two state championship trophies. Bare room, nothing but two state championship trophies.”
The list of three-time state champions includes Emery Neale from Grant (1937-1939), Tom MacDonald from Grant (1940-1942), Mike Thoeresz from Catlin Gabel (1997-1998, 2000), Mike Calkins from Jesuit (1998-2000), Dustin Forsyth from Ontario (2001-2003), Scott Morse from Cascade Christian (2006-2008), Zhenya Pereverzin from Clackamas (four-timer, 2007-2010), Alex Rovello from Cleveland (four-timer, 2007-2010), Goutham Sundaram from Lincoln (2012-2014), Matt Spiowicz from Oregon Episcopal (2013-2015) and Peter Murphy from Jesuit (2017-2019).
Joining that list didn’t come easy for Semler, who wore a Navy SEALs hat for the title game to honor a family friend who died during a mission overseas recently.
Semler fought back some emotions speaking of the importance of the symbol he wore, making the victory on Saturday that much more meaningful.
“I love to fight, it’s all competing for me,” Semler said. “I’m just out here to fight, that’s it.”
“Each year it builds, the first year was just kind of a bonus,” Allen added. “This year was just as tough with the build up and pressure. I know he didn’t sleep last night, I know he didn’t sleep two years ago (before the state title match) … To watch the pressure he had to endure all these years and the weight of just life on his shoulder, and tennis was just part of that (was special). Pretty special kid.”
The last two years, Semler has been able to accomplish this with his younger brother Tiger helping him up close as a member of the Cardinals team as well.
Having Tiger, more family and friends, and a group of children from the Portland Tennis and Education program out to watch Semler’s last run for a title made the day even better.
“It’s extremely special to do it in front of all my friends and family this year, a lot of people had a chance to come out,” Semler said. “There’s some kids that I’ve been working with at a foundation called PT&E. That’s probably the most special part of today, being able to have an impact on the kids.”
With a legacy secured in the Oregon tennis record books and in the next generation of players after him, it’s clear Semler has done plenty of winning both on and off the court.
And for a Lincoln program that won the state title as a team back in 2022 for the first time in 34 years, it’s clear Semler has become a beacon for the Cardinals and an example of what it takes to be a champion in every sense of the word.
“For these other kids to watch how much (Semler) works and to see like, ‘Gosh, he’s good, but he deserves everything because he puts the work in,’” Allen said. “You don’t really see it first glance, but I see it and I think they’re starting to see it now so it’s pretty inspiring. Quite a legacy.”
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