In WHS junior Srinjoy Ghosh’s tennis career, he has amassed a high national ranking of 546 and seen two state finals. He has also earned numerous awards for his athletic accomplishments. But what did Ghosh have to do to get to the level he is at today?

Ghosh picked up his first tennis racket at six years old when his uncle, a tennis coach, gifted him one. He first started playing at a tennis academy in the city and would take the bus every day with his mother to practice. 

Ghosh says, “At first it was just fun. I was a young kid playing a game. I made new friends and learned a new thing. It wasn’t too serious at first.”

Two years later, at just eight years old, Ghosh began playing tennis competitively. The tennis tournament scene in India is not as dense as it is in other countries, like the United States. Ghosh was unable to compete often and when he did, it would be against children much older. It was an intimidating experience, and he recalls his first couple of tournaments not going in his favor. 

“I lost every single match by a large margin. I was upset at myself for disappointing my uncle, more than that, I was upset at myself for not finding my groove. I had the skill level, but I could not execute,” he shares. 

Still, Ghosh continuously worked to perfect his tennis skills. By age eleven, Ghosh felt he was starting to keep up with his older opponents. 

He reflects, “I was never a prodigy. I picked the sport up quickly, sure, but I wasn’t a prodigy. So when I got to a level in which I could beat out the bigger kids, it was really rewarding.” 

Just a year later, at twelve years old, Ghosh’s family moved to Westborough, Massachusetts. Soon, he was set for an evaluation at the Westborough Tennis and Swim Club. 

“The club felt so new to me. I just wasn’t ready to jump into it. The evaluation was good, but club tennis can be a lot. It’s a large time commitment and a lot of money. I was still really young, so my parents and I weren’t sure I was ready to enroll,” Ghosh states. 

That summer Ghosh spent his time practicing at public tennis courts without the help of a coach or any formal training. He competed in a few USTA (United States Tennis Association) New England tournaments, and though he came close, Ghosh did not win. 

That fall he joined the Westborough Tennis and Swim Club’s competitive tournament training program. Ghosh poured a lot of time into this program, and was under a lot of internal pressure to win trophies. However, his results were mixed. Ghosh believes the journey from a pre-teen to where he is now as a tennis player did not pick up until 2020, just a few years later. 

Ghosh says, “A couple months of break were needed. I was able to rebuild myself as a player during this time. I did some at home workouts when everything was completely locked down. As months passed and we were able to somewhat connect with others, I practiced with a friend from Shrewsbury. When the club reopened I began taking private lessons with coach Sam Poole.” 

Poole helped Ghosh realize his potential and all the talent that he had. Immediately the two began working on Ghosh’s consistency, which at the time was a weakness for him. Poole did more than build up Ghosh’s skill, he also helped build him up mentally. 

“Tennis is a unique sport because of the mental aspect. For singles players especially, it is just you out on the court trying to beat out the person across from you. Sam [Poole] really developed my confidence and mental strategies.” 

Finally, Ghosh felt he had found his groove. Of course, it did not stop there. The next big step for him was the high school tennis team. When Spring of his freshman year came around (2021), Ghosh was struggling with a wrist injury from that February that prevented him from playing for an entire month. For players at his level, even a few days off can be troublesome.

On top of that, he did not have many opportunities to compete due to surges in coronavirus that led to tournament cancellations. Ghosh’s coaches at the Westborough Tennis and Swim Club also had very high expectations for the player, believing he could be the team’s first singles player. During the regular season, Ghosh played every position on the team except for second doubles. Come play-offs, he had settled at first doubles with class of 2022 graduate Benjamin Dubrovsky. The boys tennis team made it to the state finals in 2021 but lost 1-4 to Brookline High School. Ghosh and Dubrovsky lost their match in a close three setter.

Ghosh says, “We lost in such a tight match, but I don’t even remember the score. Losing states was really crushing, especially given it was our first loss of the season. I do remember all the friendships I was able to make through the tennis team, and I am really grateful for that.”

Going into the offseason between his freshman and sophomore seasons, Ghosh felt he had the opportunity to play first singles. He dedicated a lot of his time to playing tennis and focusing on the physical aspect. Ghosh worked with Westborough Swim and Tennis owner Steve Farris to target his fitness. 

“Steve [Farris] would literally run me to death.” Ghosh recollects. 

However, Ghosh faced a setback when Coach Sam Poole left the Westborough Tennis and Swim Club in 2021. At first it was tough to navigate tennis without Poole, but Ghosh remained determined. To this day, the two maintain a close relationship and Ghosh still seeks advice from his former coach. 

Leading into his sophomore year, Ghosh did not feel the most confidence. At the same time, he had a goal in mind: to play first singles. To do so, he had to beat two seniors, Andrew Chen and Nishant Sura. 

“It was great competition between the three of us. Every time we played the scores just came out closer and closer,” Ghosh says.

Come playoffs of the 2022 season, Ghosh was playing first singles. Chen played second singles and Sura played third. Overall the boys tennis team had an extremely talented group. The 2022 team won the Central Massachusetts Athletic Directors Association tournament and won nearly every match. They made it all the way to state finals that season but unfortunately, the team lost 2-3 against Concord-Carlisle High School. Ghosh lost in a three-setter. 

After an incredible season, Ghosh received numerous awards for his athletic excellence including MidWach A Most Valuable Player and MetroWest Daily News Most Valuable Player. 

Going into his Junior year, Ghosh had high expectations for himself. He worked extremely hard to become a better player. However, after a long summer of pushing himself, Ghosh felt burnt out. 

He describes, “I wasn’t mentally the best, I wasn’t playing the best. My composure wasn’t great either – I kept getting angry on court. It was completely unlike me.” 

On top of that, Ghosh faced a serious injury in the winter of that year. A joint in his lower left back was misaligned, but he felt the need to play on. This made the injury worse, and took him off the court for at least a month. Recovery after that was slow and Ghosh was prevented from playing his usual amount. 

Ghosh was able to bounce back just before his junior season which he is currently in the heat of. As of May 18, 2023, Ghosh plays second singles for the WHS Boys Team which has a record of 11-4. 

Head Coach Len O’neil says, “Ghosh is one of the best players in the state, even as a freshman. He plays aggressive and smart. Not only is he a great player, but he’s an amazing team captain and leader. He, and the other captains, are my eyes and ears on the team. Srinjoy [Ghosh] is mature for his age, and we are grateful to have him a member of our team.”

One last detail about Ghosh, all of his wins are a result of the many sacrifices he has had to make to get to the level he is at today. Despite possessing so much talent, Ghosh remains humble and hardworking.