Tennis players from around the region dealt with personal improvement, their opponents and the elements during the opening day of the annual C.C. Lee Open Junior Tennis Tournament on Monday.

For Aberdeen’s Carly Comstock, the tourney gave her a chance to get reacquainted with the game.

“It’s the first match I’ve played since last season and so I’m a little rusty,” Comstock said. “I’m recovering from a back injury, but it was OK. I started out a little weak.”

The senior to be at Aberdeen Central rallied from an early deficit to win her opening-round match by a tight score of 4-6, 7-5, (10-8) at the Northern State Courts.

“I just kind of had to take it one point at a time and not get stressed out,” she said, “because I knew I was going to be rusty.”

Comstock said a big key was just trusting in her skills, having not played in a competitive match since last October.

“At that point it’s more of mental game, because you know you have done it and you can do it, but you can’t at the time and it gets hard,” Comstock said, “but you just have to remember that at the end of the day, it’s just a game. We’re here for fun. We’re here to have a good time and get better at a sport we love.”

Comstock played an opponent from Bismarck, N.D. She said it is challenging, but fun to face different foes than she normally plays.

“It’s kind of fun, actually. It’s what I like about tennis,” Comstock said. “You get to learn the strengths and the weaknesses of different people and their styles and their spin. It makes it more exciting because you’re not doing the same thing every time.”

She said there are pros and cons of playing in front of family and friends, depending on how well she is playing at the time.

“If I’m doing bad, and I know I could be doing better, sometimes it does get in my head,” Comstock said. “They’re here to support me, so that’s what I have to remember. They’re not going to really care if I win or lose.”

FIRST CHAMPION

While the majority of the division winners will be determined today, the first champion of the tournament was crowned Monday morning at Melgaard Park.

Brenna Erdmann of Wahpeton, N.D., lost just one game total on the way to winning the Girls’ 14-and-Under singles title.

“I just played my best and tried my hardest,” Erdmann said.

The 13-year-old is partnering with a high school teammate to compete in the 18-and-Under doubles division.

She was unfazed by Monday’s steady windy conditions, “because at home where we play, it’s really windy all the time.”

She used a pair of critical phases of the game to her advantage on the way to the title.

“My serves were actually really good today, which helped,” Erdmann said. “My backhands I feel I did good, too.”

STRONG START

One of the youngest player’s in the tournament is 11-year-old Elijah Lindgren of Sioux Falls.

Lindgren worked his way into today’s semifinals of the Boys’ 12-and-Under Singles division.

It’s apparent that Lindgren has a background in the game.

“I just keep practicing and I never give up,” Lindgren said. “You just have to keep working hard.”

Lindgren sported a special Wimbledon tennis bag. He said he watched the recently concluded tournament where his favorite player Novak Djokovic won the championship.

“He just has a nice serve,” Lindgren said of one of the reasons he likes the star player. “Even though he doesn’t have the most positive attitude on the court, he’s a good player.”

Lindgren has attended the Tennis and Life Camp at Gustavus Adolphus in St. Peter, Minn.

When asked what he learned there, Lindgren responded, “Be more positive and don’t give up.”

CARRYING ON FAMILY TRADITION

One of the players in this year’s field has strong roots when it comes to the C.C. Lee tourney.

Madison Schmahl of Rapid City is the daughter of former Aberdeen Roncalli standout Jessica Barton who has played in the tournament in the past.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Schmahl said. “It gets you ready for the season.”

Schmahl, who will be a junior at St. Thomas More this upcoming season, also had two aunts, Amanda and Elizabeth that played tennis, as well as an uncle, Ethan.

Schmahl won her opening round match in her first experience at the tournament.

“I like to win,” she said. “I’m very competitive, but I just hope to gain some new skills from it.”

She said her mother doesn’t play much these days.

“She goes and hits with me sometimes,” Schmahl said, “but not that much, anymore.”

Schmahl isn’t quite sure of her mom’s past C.C. Lee accomplishments, but definitely knows about her tennis past.

“I don’t know if she was a (C.C. Lee) champion,” Schmahl said, “but she did play top varsity and she was very good.”

BATTLING THE WIND

While the temperatures were definitely cooler than some past C.C. Lee Tournaments, the constant wind made play a bit challenging throughout the day.

“It’s very difficult. You try and get a forehand and then you try to run over to the forehand and it just blows all the way out to the side,” said Aberdeen’s Jack Riggs. “You try to lob. It’s really good with slice. You can have a real advantage when you’re on the other side of it, so it works out really well, but it’s also really hurtful some times.”

Riggs, who also plays soccer, said the wind is much more of a factor on the tennis court than on the soccer pitch.

“Bigger in tennis definitely, because the tennis ball is so light,” Riggs said. “It can just fly around from side to side. You never know which way it’s going. It’s such a huge factor.”

Riggs, who will be a senior at Aberdeen Central this fall, recently competed in the Dacotah Bank Cup soccer tournament. He said there was a major difference between that event and the tennis tourney.

“A team tournament is very loud. Everyone is energetic,” Riggs said of the soccer tournament. “When you’re playing by yourself, it’s just you out there. You just have to do stuff for yourself.”

He said there are certain elements like footwork and lateral movement that factor into both sports.

Riggs won both of his matches in the 18-and-Under division and is now in the semifinals when play resumes this morning. While the soccer season starts in August, Riggs is using this week’s tennis tourney to build his skills for next spring’s tennis campaign.

“It really helps me get into good shape,” Riggs said of the C.C. Lee. “It helps me to compete and work on my forehands and backhands, and all my parts of the game.

BOYS’ DIVISION

12-and-Under Singles

Elijah Lindgren, Sioux Falls, def. Zayne Fast Horse, 6-3, 6-4; Matthew Christen, Mandan, def. Gavin Johnston, 6-0, 6-0; Dawson Pederson def. Levi Hight, Pierre, 6-2, 6-0; Lindgren def. James Johnston, 6-0, 6-0; Lucas Meester, Watertown, def. Zachary Comings, Wahpeton, 6-3, 6-1.

Consolation: Fast Horse def. Hight, 10-1; Comings def. J. Johnston, 10-0; Fast Horse def. G. Johnston, 10-0.

14-and-Under Singles

Cooper Star, Mitchell, def. Wyatt Kiesz, NA; Carter Lust def. Lucas Hight, Pierre, NA; Jared Christen, Mandan, def. Gannon Pederson, 6-4, 6-4; Star def. Ryker Weideman, 6-4, 1-6, (10-5); Garrett Anderson, Wahpeton, def. Conner Miller, by default; Joseph Meester, Watertown, def. Lust, 7-5, 6-2.

Consolation: Pederson def. Hight, 10-5.

14-and-Under Doubles

Ryker Weideman-Carter Lust def. Lucas Hight, Pierre-Elijah Lindgren, Sioux Falls, 6-0. 6-1; Gannon Pederson-Dawson Pederson def. Miller-Kiesz, by default; Weideman-Lust def. Jared Christen, Mandan-Matthew Christen, Mandan, 6-0, 6-1; Cooper Star, Mitchell-Joseph Meester, Watertown, def. Pederson-Pederson, 6-2, 6-3.

18-and-Under Singles

AJ Prehn def. Andrew Withuski, Wahpeton, 6-0, 6-2; Jack Riggs def. Thadeus Steinberger Jr., Wahpeton, 7-6 (7-2), 6-2; Matthew Comings, Wahpeton, def. Prehn, 7-5, 7-5; David Comings, Wahpeton, def. Hunter Miller, by default; Riggs def. Carter St. Aubin, Wahpeton, 6-0, 6-1; Michael Frohling, def. Paul Vocu, Watertown, 7-6 (12-10), 6-1.

Consolation: Steinberger def. Withuski, 11-9.

18-and-Under Doubles

Garrett Anderson, Wahpeton-Thadeus Steinberger Jr., Wahpeton, def. Riggs-Kreber, 0-6, 7-6 (7-2), (10-8); Palmer Johnson-Gannon May def. Frohling-Prehn, 6-7 (6-8), 6-2, (10-7); Mitchell Hofer-Gabe Goetz def. Matthew Comings, Wahpeton-Carter St. Aubin, Wahpeton, 6-0, 6-1.

GIRLS’ DIVISION

14-and-Under Singles

Brenna Erdmann, Wahpeton, def. Taela Bauer, 6-0, 6-0; Katie Morgan, Mitchell, def. Hannah Moderow, Wahpeton, 6-2, 6-2.

Championship: Erdmann def. Morgan, 6-0, 6-1.

Consolation Championship: Bauer def. Moderow, 10-7.

16-and-Under Singles

Raley Haskell def. Breelyn Lacina, Wapheton, 6-0, 4-6, (10-4); Madison Schmahl, Rapid City, def. River Haskell, 6-4, 6-4.

16-and-Under Doubles

(Round Robin)

Julia Knie-Riley O’Keefe def. Hannah Moderow, Wahpeton-Katie Morgan, Mitchell, 6-2, 6-1; Raley Haskell-River Haskell def. Moderow-Morgan, 6-0, 6-1.

18-and-Under Singles

Carly Comstock def. Sydney Hall, Bismarck, 4-6, 7-5, (10-8); Elizabeth Comings, Wahpeton, def. Alice Vogel, 6-4, 6-3; Kyree Lacina, Wahpeton, def. Holly German, Wahpeton, by default; Livia Douglas def. Julia Knie, 3-6, 6-0, (10-3); Emily Ringgenberg def. Comstock, 6-3, 6-3.

Consolation: Vogel def. Hall, 11-9.

18-and-Under Doubles

(Round Robin)

Alice Vogel-Emily Ringgenberg def. Breelyn Lacina, Wahpeton-Kyree Lacina, Wahpeton, 6-2, 6-0; Brenna Erdman, Wahpeton-Elizabeth Comings, Wahpeton, def. Lacina-Lacina, 6-0, 6-0.