Tennis: Megan Hahn, Mateo Cevallos sweep Maryland singles titles for Wootton

Facing a three-game deficit in the second set of the Maryland state girls’ tennis final on Saturday, Wootton senior Megan Hahn decided she had had enough. It was hot, she was tiring and she had a one-set lead that she didn’t want to relinquish. “I’m not going to play a third set,” she said to herself.

Hahn fought back against Bethesda-Chevy Chase junior Anna Rozenberg, claimed the next five games, and notched her first singles title, 7-6 (7-3), 7-5 at the University of Maryland. Hahn, a 2011 All-Met, hadn’t played in a singles final since her freshman year. She didn’t play high school tennis as a sophomore because of national tournament commitments, but returned last year to win a mixed doubles title. This season, the Loyola (Md.) recruit had been eager for an elusive singles title.

“It means a lot to me,” she said. “I’ve been looking forward to it all year.”

Rozenberg played Hahn tough throughout the back-and-forth, 2-hour 40-minute match. While Rozenberg was expressive and vocal on the court, Hahn was quiet and calm. The two opponents are incredibly familiar with each other, as Rozenberg topped Hahn in the regular season, but Hahn beat her rival for the county and region title.

“She definitely stayed in the match,” Hahn said. “The last couple times I played after a few key points she would give up. But today, she stayed in the match.”

The hot temperatures were a factor in the boys’ singles final. Wootton junior Mateo Cevallos won the title, 7-5, 6-7 (7-2), 3-3, when Reservoir junior Biyik Akinshemoyin retired in the third set with cramping in his left leg.

After a serve early in the third set, Akinshemoyin shouted and hunched over. He was granted a medical timeout and a trainer tended to him. But after a few games, Akinshemoyin again hunched over with cramping in his left leg. He couldn’t take it anymore and asked to end the match.

“I’m happy I won, of course, but it’s not the way I wanted to,” said Cevallos, who was playing in his second three-set match of the day after topping C.H. Flowers senior Myron Davis in the semifinals. “I wanted to beat him. Unfortunately, he couldn’t take it anymore. He had to pull out. I’m happy with the win.”

Hannah Stahl and Kamilla Beisenova of Whitman claimed the girls’ doubles title, 6-3, 6-4, over classmates Nicole Gottret and Nicole Welch, also of Whitman.

Sean Ngo and Aries Wong of Whitman won the boys’ doubles title, 6-4, 6-1, over Juha Ellonen and William Clark of Great Mills.

Aishu Iyer and Julian Mu of Wootton claimed the mixed doubles title, 6-3, 6-1, over Rachel Land and Tyler Collins of Huntingtown.