photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State's No. 1 singles player Eli Ward shuffles her feet in a tennis quad at Sports Pavilion Lawrence against Lawrence, Olathe South and Shawnee Mission South on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025, in Lawrence.

In singles tennis, mental composure is one of the most difficult parts of the game. You’re out on the court by yourself with no one to lean on or get you out of your own head.

So when Eli Ward is on the court, she tries to keep it simple.

“I let myself have fun with it,” Ward said. “It’s a game, so it’s not like I’m going to die if I lose a set. The sun will still come up in the morning.”

Ward, a freshman at Free State, is coming off a Sunflower League title after finishing the regular season undefeated as the league’s top singles player. In the league tournament, Ward won it all, going 4-0 with two 8-1 wins, an 8-4 win and an 8-2 win.

Now, she’s set to go through the regional tournament, where a good performance could put her in position for a state title run.

“It was good confidence going into regionals, and I’m hoping I can do the same thing there,” Ward said. “I’m hoping I can just stay locked in and do what I did last time again.”

Despite going up against the top competition in the league as a freshman, Ward has plenty of experience in pressure situations. She comes from a tennis family and has played since she was 2 years old. In the Ward house, the topic of tennis is always in discussion.

“Whenever there’s a professional tournament on, we always watch at least one match,” Ward said. “We analyze their different movements, the mental game — just seeing what I can adapt to my game to make it better.”

The analytical side of the sport is what Ward enjoys the most. Learning what an opponent does well and doesn’t do well and using her strengths to attack weaknesses is what makes playing tennis fun.

Before each match, Ward updates a notebook she has about any ideas on how to attack a specific opponent. Oftentimes at the high school level, she’s facing familiar opponents, and so she uses her notes to remember what works, what didn’t work and what to try differently in the next match.

That tennis IQ has helped her have as much success as she’s had this year, and it’s what makes Ward stand out among the rest in the league.

“It’s a well-balanced game, which in high school tennis and beyond goes a long way,” Free State coach Aaron Clark said. “She’s on the court, she’s seeing the ball, she knows what she needs to improve or what she’s doing. Her IQ has definitely played a big part in her undefeated record so far.”

Clark tasked her with the challenge of playing No. 1 singles at the start of the tennis season, and Ward handled it perfectly. He said her ability to not get too high or too low has helped her stay successful.

“Whether it be during a meet or during a match, she stays level throughout,” Clark said. “It makes my job easier. She’s doing great in that regard. And it’s not just the talent, it’s everything combined.”

Part of what has helped Ward deal with the mental pressure of playing No. 1 singles is her teammates. Having spent most of time competing in club tennis, a real team aspect is new to Ward, and it’s something she’s really enjoyed this season.

“My team is great — they helped me get comfortable quickly,” Ward said. “They made it really easy to fit in. I’ve never been on a team, so this is really fun for me to have different girls to be in touch with.”

With Ward leading the team, the Firebirds placed fourth in the Sunflower League tournament and are looking to send multiple girls to the state tournament.

The regional meet features a few new teams that are outside of the Sunflower League, and the state tournament will feature a number of new players that Ward hasn’t faced this season.

But for Ward to do well, Clark says the most important thing is to be healthy and fresh for the tournaments. With how experienced she is, it’s not too much of a worry, even with Ward still being a freshman.

“I’m so excited,” Ward said. “Really just having fun is the key to keeping my mind right.”

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State No. 1 singles player Eli Ward hits a ball in a tennis quad against Lawrence, Olathe South and Shawnee Mission South on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025, in Lawrence.