Joplin prep tennis player Layla Masena makes history at New Heights

Last year, Masena went 24-1 before dropping a match at state. She then performed well in the consolation draw to claim fifth place overall. Masena thinks bringing home the first-place medal is possible.

“I really hope that I’m blessed to go to state again,” she said. “Hopefully, if I do, maybe I can do better than I did last year and come home with the state championship. I would love to do that.”

Padron believes that’s possible.

“Anything is possible,” she said. “If you work hard for it, you can achieve anything in life, and she works very hard. She’s an overall player, because she does anything she needs to do to become better on the court and off the court.

“She works out in the gym. She does college camps, and she plays tournaments wherever she can. She does an after-school program and takes private lessons. She does whatever she can to become better and stronger.”

Aiming Higher Together

As much as Masena wants to get back to the state tournament on her own this year, her bigger goal is to take her team with her. New Heights reached the district final but fell short. The team is not only competitive against other Class 1 schools but even some area Class 3 schools.

“I was so proud of our girls during districts,” she said. “They were amazing. Everyone was so positive and encouraging to each other. The girls are super encouraging, and I love getting to be with all my teammates.”

New Heights is one of the smallest schools in Class 1, with about 530 students from kindergarten through 12th grade. If you just count the high school grades, attendance is about 200 students. But the girls’ tennis team doesn’t worry about the size of other schools. The players line up and compete with whoever is on the other side of the net.

Masena certainly embodies that.

“I really try to be a very well-rounded player,” she said. “My coach has helped me a lot with that. I do like my groundstrokes. I hit from side to side and down the line a lot. And then once the girl hits that short ball, I’ll come up to the net and hit that approach shot.

“I’m just returning the shot wherever it is and waiting for the other player to make a mistake. When that happens, I try to pounce on that mistake.”

Masena’s confidence carries her through, even when she’s playing against an opponent from a much bigger school.

“I just focus on my game,” she said. “I don’t think about the fact that they’re bigger or that maybe they get more and better practice by getting to play against bigger schools. I’m just going to play my game on the court, and that doesn’t matter who I get.

“I’m playing the ball, not the girl.”

And she’s doing it full of faith.

Check out additional USTA Missouri stories by clicking here. View a TV feature on Masena here.