Rochester Mayo’s Claire Loftus wins second straight Class 2A girls tennis singles state championship

Rochester Mayo’s Claire Loftus won her second straight Class 2A singles championship on Friday. But it was likely not in the manner she’s envisioned. Or hoped.

Loftus, a senior, defeated Elk River senior Ava Nelson in three sets, 5-7, 7-5 and 2-0, to win the title when Nelson could not continue in the third set due to cramps in her right quadriceps suffered in the second set.

The match started with Loftus seizing control early, building a 4-0 lead in the first set. The power-hitting Nelson rallied, playing mistake-free for the remainder of the set to win it 7-5.

“I just started to have confidence in my shots,” Nelson said.

Said Loftus: “That’s the best I’ve ever seen her play.”

The two matched each other shot for shot in the second set, Loftus’ precision versus Nelson’s power.

“In the second set, it was crucial for me to just reset and refocus on what I needed to change and what I needed to do,” Loftus said.

For Loftus, that meant countering Nelson’s attacking style.

“She’s a very aggressive baseliner and I knew that was her game-plan early on,” she said.

With the score 5-5, Nelson needed an injury break after the quadriceps in her right leg began to cramp severely. She tried to soothe the cramps but couldn’t and never fully recovered.

Loftus won the next two games to take the second set 7-5, and built a 2-0 lead in the third set. Nelson tried to battle on, but visibly wincing from the pain, wasn’t able to continue.

Loftus, who prides herself on her sportsmanship and compassion, was happy she won but admitted it was not how she would have liked.

“It’s obviously a very, very tough way to end the match and your high school career,” Loftus said. “So, I do feel really bad and I hope that she feels better soon.”

Loftus completed the season with a perfect 28-0 record. She was 54-0 over the last two seasons and ends her high school career as a five-time state champion, having won two team championships, two singles titles and a doubles championship.

Mounds View sisters Rory and Reese Wahlstrand had never played a tournament together as a doubles team before this year’s postseason.

Perhaps they should have teamed up sooner.

Rory, a junior, and Reese, a freshman, paired up to win the Class 2A doubles championship, beating Edina’s Astrid Kerrman and Raya Hou, 6-2, 6-4 in the finals.

The duo began the day strong, defeating defending champions Malea Diehn and Keely Ryder of Rochester Mayo, 5-7, 6-2, and 6-4, in the semifinals.

The Wahlstrand sisters admitted their sisterly familiarity played a large role in their victory.

“I’m older, but we tried to play as equals,” Rory said. Still, it was Rory’s steadying influence that mattered when their second set lead started getting a little shaky.

“I was just there for her if she needed me,” Rory said.

Starting the day with an early 8 a.m. court time in the semifinals turned out to be a blessing for the sisters.

“It was too early to be nervous,” Reese said. “I’m not a morning person.”