Free State High senior Emily Wang was the dominant tennis player in Kansas tennis the last two years.

Yet as she signed a letter of intent to play at the University of Illinois on Friday in the school library, she admitted that being No. 1 brought some unexpected pressure.

“I think that as you play, there’s some challenges you face,” she said. “It helped me dealing with pressure. This year, coming back as the state champ I was the one to beat, I guess. So it helped me deal with that.”

When she plays for the Illini next year, that pressure will have helped her prepare for college tennis.

Well, that and the thousands of matches she’s played the past six years.

Wang has been playing year-round tennis since she was 11, which played a huge part in the success she’s had in high school. FSHS coach Jon Renberger, who also coached 2001 FSHS graduate Laura Gravino, who now plays at Illinois State, was on hand and gave just a sample of Wang’s impressive high school career.

“What she’s meant to our team,” Renberger said. “Is not only is she a two-time 6A state champ, she was our team MVP the last three years and a four-time state qualifier. And she never lost a match in Sunflower League play.

“Clearly, she’s been a dominant player in tennis, not only in Kansas, but in the entire Midwest.”

Free State High senior Emily Wang, left, gets a hug from her sister Lucca after signing a letter of intent with the University of Illinois on Friday at FSHS.

Wang, who carries a 3.4 GPA, walloped the competition at this year’s state tournament, losing only two games during the two-day event. This was in addition to being named an all-American by the National High School Tennis All-American Foundation in September.

Her club coach, Phil Baillos, who works with her at Indian Creek Racquet Club in Overland Park, isn’t surprised by her success. After all, he’s seen her put in the work on the court.

“I’ve only worked with Emily for two or three years now,” Baillos said. “For most girls it’s a four- or five-year process. But she’s worked really hard in that time to become the player she is.”

It was the Illinois coaching staff and its Midwest locale that sold Wang on the school. Plus, the Illini are consistently ranked among the top 30 teams in the country.

“I really loved the school and the coaches,” Wang said. “They had a lot to offer.”

With Wang in Champaign, and Gravino in Normal, Renberger said he may be spending some time on the road for the next few years.

“Oh absolutely,” Renberger said. “I can see a road trip or two in my foreseeable future.”

Besides, he’d hate to miss out on how good Wang gets.

“It’ll be amazing to see what kind of player she becomes in the next couple years,” Renberger said.