NJSIAA Tennis: Hasbrouck Heights' Kwak Forced to Retire in Fourth Round

WEST WINDSOR, NJ – Cramping is the only opponent to defeat Hasbrouck Heights’ Evelynn Kwak in a girls' tennis match this season. The 14-year-old was eliminated from the NJSIAA Individual State Singles Tournament on Sunday at Mercer County Park when she had to retire from the match, just two points away from advancing to the fifth round of the tournament.

Kwak, who received a bye in the first round, had advanced by defeating Natalya Slonis of St. Paul VI in straight sets on Saturday.

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On Sunday, she returned, defeating Mia Swiecicki of Haddonfield in straight sets, 6-2, 6-0, before facing Jamie Carlin of the Academy of Holy Angels. After winning the first set 6-3, she was up five games to four in the second set, and was tied at 30-30, when she cramped up.

After a 10-minute injury timeout for cramping, and there is only one allowed, she could not continue, forcing her to retire from the match.

“Evelynn had an amazing tournament, and I am incredibly proud of her effort and her poise,” stated Hasbrouck Heights head coach Suzanne Caines. “She was dominant in her first couple of matches and won handily."

“The fourth-round match was against another incredible player who she knew well and whom she had faced many times in junior tournaments,” said Caines. ”They had long intense battles for every single point and Evelynn was definitely playing with confidence and power, and seemed to be on the verge of victory when she totally cramped up."

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“We took a 10-minute injury time out, but it was just not enough time to recover, and despite her desire to continue, she had to retire,” Caines continued. “It was a heartbreaking end to an incredible tournament, but at she's only 14. She'll be back.”

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