With three dual matches in the books, the tennis team is off to a perfect 3-0 start. The team seeks its fourth straight win Tuesday at 4 p.m. as it hosts Lone Star HS in a District 9-5A match.

Wingspan sat down with sophomore Lamia Zuberi, a second year player for the varsity tennis team, to talk about the team’s practices and goals for the school year.

Wingspan: What are your hopes for the tennis season this year?

Zuberi: “I hope that we win districts again and we place in area.”

Wingspan: What are you and your team members doing to practice and improve your skills?

Zuberi: “We stay every day after school until 4:45 p.m., in addition to practicing during class fourth period and conditioning on our own. We have been doing drills and playing practice matches with each other.”

Wingspan: How is it like practicing in the heat?

Zuberi: “It’s tough, but we know it’s for a better goal in the end. When we’re practicing, we forget about the heat and get into the game.”

Wingspan: What’s the district look like in terms of competition?

Zuberi: “The district is really good and a lot of schools have improved, but our team is improving also.”

Wingspan: Does the tennis team ever feel overshadowed by other sports teams?

Zuberi: “We may be a little bit underrated, I guess. The thing is when we do win matches, a lot of people, like teachers and staff members, are always like ‘Oh, congratulations!’ and when they see us in our uniforms they’re like ‘Good job!’ even though they don’t go to games so it’s great either way.”

Wingspan: How do you think you guys can bring more attention and people to the student section for your games?

Zuberi: “We should do posters and we should tell our friends and teachers about games. Something as simple as wearing tennis jackets and shirts to school shows that we’re actually a part of the team and the tennis team does exist.”

Wingspan: What do you love most about playing tennis?

Zuberi: “Well, I’ve been playing for nine years and I really love tennis because it’s something so competitive and you challenge yourself to play with better people. The best thing about tennis at school is the actual team. They’re the best part.”