Geneva junior Ryan Fishback defeated Syosset’s Kabir Rajpal in three sets (6-0, 3-6, 6-2) on Saturday during the NYSPHSAA Boys Tennis Championship finals at the USTA Billie Jean National Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens.
Fishback’s second-set loss to Rajpal was his first lost set of the tournament after winning each of his previous eight sets 6-3 or better.
Fishback defeated Keon Armstrong of Chatham 6-1, 6-2 in round one, then won a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Callum Markowitz of White Plains in the second round. Then, he beat Greg Hastings of North Tonawanda 6-2, 6-2 in the quarterfinals, followed by a 6-3, 6-2 semifinals win over Keio’s Ryo Sakai.
With the victory, Fishback found redemption from last season’s state final loss and becomes the first Section V boys tennis state champion since 2015.
Going to a 3rd set in the 2019 boys tennis state championship match between Ryan Fishback of Geneva and Kabir Rajpal of Syosset. #NYSPHSAA pic.twitter.com/e6YHZTJZtM
— NYSPHSAA (@NYSPHSAA) June 1, 2019
#1 in NYS!!!!! Congrats to NYS Champion & Sect V’s Ryan Fishback of Geneva who won @NYSPHSAA singles final match 6-0, 3-6, 6-2 over #2 seed Kabir Rajpal of Syosset. @PCSDAthletics @jjDandC @SectionVBTennis pic.twitter.com/pp7VajUteg
— Pittsford Sutherland Tennis (@suthtennis1) June 1, 2019
Thanks coach! State champ Ryan Fishback and his coach Bill Hadsell. #NYSPHSAA pic.twitter.com/dAWJZdJ7L6
— NYSPHSAA (@NYSPHSAA) June 1, 2019
Fishback was interviewed after advancing to the finals on Friday afternoon:
Ryan Fishback of Geneva reacts to advancing to the 2019 #nysphsaa state championship match. pic.twitter.com/ENKwaQURAE
— NYSPHSAA (@NYSPHSAA) May 31, 2019
Geneva’s Ryan Fishback received his state championship medal! pic.twitter.com/AJbPh1NCU0
— Pittsford Sutherland Tennis (@suthtennis1) June 1, 2019
The 2019 #NYSPHSAA boys tennis state champion Ryan Fishback of Geneva. pic.twitter.com/83P9NbNFOa
— NYSPHSAA (@NYSPHSAA) June 1, 2019
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