Junior Player Spotlight: Luanna Carmo & Lillien Weiss, Ross School Tennis Center

Last season, the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Girls’ Individual Tennis Championships were held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens for the first time in the tournament’s history.

It presented a unique opportunity for deserving high school tennis players who qualified, which included the doubles duo of Luanna Carmo & Lillien Weiss (Lillie Weiss) from the Ross School in East Hampton.

“It was one of the coolest experiences,” Carmo said about playing on the U.S. Open courts. “I’ve always dreamed about playing there, and it was amazing to be able to do it.”

Weiss added:

“Being able to play on the same courts where so many tennis greats have played was a dream for me as well. It’s definitely going to inspire me and push myself this season for an opportunity to return. It was really a gift getting to play there.”

The pair qualified for the State Championships thanks to their third-place finish in the Suffolk County Championships, a remarkable result for players who are still very young. Carmo was a seventh-grader, and Weiss was an eighth-grader, but the two proved they belong competing at the highest levels of varsity tennis.

Weiss began playing tennis when she was three-years-old, the daughter of two parents who were both avid players in their own right, as her father played Division I tennis collegiately while her mother competed at the State Championships when she was a high school player.

A native of the Hamptons, Weiss began training at the Ross School Tennis Center a few years back, while attending public school nearby. Last year her family decided to look for a school where she could not only maximize her ability and time to train for tennis but also receive a top education in person vs online, and after a full search they decided the Ross School was the ideal choice for Lillie.

The Ross School is a dynamic day and boarding school that serves students from nursery through post-graduate. The Tennis Center, also open to the community, offers elite competitive tennis training alongside Ross School’s unique academic curriculum, and the school team competes in Section XI.

“One of the reasons I wanted to come here was because it’s the number one ranked boarding school in New York, with a really unique, global curriculum,” Weiss said. “I was looking for a school that would support my rigorous tennis training schedule while not sacrificing educational opportunities for myself. Ross is great at accommodating my unique schedule. When I have to travel for tournaments, the teachers are always helpful at having me stay on target with my classes. Ross also provided me the option as an eight grader to take more advanced high school classes which keep me challenged and interested. My favorite classes this past year were creative writing, public policy and Geometry. The teachers really understand each student’s unique qualities and I am grateful they support me.”

For Carmo, she has been attending and playing tennis at the Ross School since she can remember. Her father, Vinicius, is the school’s Director of Tennis, and her older brother, Leo, competes for the Ross School varsity boys’ team.

“I’ve been playing here since I was three, and I’ve been in love with the sport ever since,” Carmo said. “Having my dad alongside the whole time has been great, and that’s really how I got started. Tennis has been a big part of my family’s life, and they have always been a big inspiration for me. Being able to play tennis and attend school has helped me grow not only as a player, but also as a person.”

As doubles partners, the two have skills that complement each other and make them a great combination. Carmo is excellent from the baseline using the pace and precision of her ground strokes to move opponents around, while Weiss thrives at the net and is aggressive in being able to finish off points there. Vinicius and the staff at Ross School encourage both of them, as well as all their players, to go for their shots and take calculated risks.

“They both have great strokes, and this is the age when we want them to grow physically and become stronger,” Vinicius said. “The goal is to prepare them for the future. They are 13 and 14, and the goal is to peak when they are 17 or 18, and be ready to compete at the collegiate level. Sometimes you go to the net and lose a point, but that will benefit you later. Luanna and Lillie take risks and we encourage that. It’s about the process of improving and finding out what works, and not necessarily about winning every match you play at this age.”

With tennis being such an individual sport, Carmo and Weiss have relished the opportunity to represent their school and compete amongst a team. Being able to play with their friends provides a special bond that can sometimes be rare in tennis.

“This past season was the first time playing on a team for me, and having that support from the girls is amazing,” Weiss said. “It brings a calmness and ease knowing that we are all rooting for each other’s success.”

Carmo added:

“We have great energy together, and have great team camaraderie. It’s great, and we’re working hard to be ready for this coming season.”

The two hope to not only make it back to the State Championships in the individual competition, but also lead their Ross team to heights it has not reached yet. For the Ravens, the last couple of years have ended in the Suffolk County Small School Championship match, and Carmo & Weiss are excited for the opportunity to guide their team into the Long Island Championship.

But until then, Carmo & Weiss will continue to put in the necessary work to improve as tennis players, and be ideal representatives of the Ross School and the Ross School Tennis Center. The two will train hard to improve their overall games, working with the mental trainers and strength & conditioning coaches, as well as the tennis coaches, to sharpen the edges of their games.

“There’s not one method that fits every player. Every player is different, and they have different needs, so we don’t do the same thing for everyone,” Vinicius added. “We listen to each player, and treat them like the individual they are.”

Between the high level of tennis offered, and the unparalleled academic curriculum, the Ross School is at the cutting edge of creating the next generation of leaders, and Carmo & Weiss are two of its brightest pupils.