Max Golubenko, a tennis player from Manhasset, really got into the sport during the summer after his sophomore year.
“I played about six or seven tournaments, and I only managed to win one or two rounds, much like my not-so-well-known opponent,” he shared with the Post. “I practiced almost every day, yet I wasn’t making significant progress.”
However, Golubenko, who hails from Bayridge in Brooklyn, didn’t throw in the towel. Instead, he focused on improving his skills.
“I began incorporating fitness into my routine, and that changed my game,” he said with enthusiasm as he expressed his love for tennis.
Now a senior, Golubenko leads the Long Island Leaderboard with an impressive 13-0 record as he heads into the Nassau County Tournament this weekend at Eisenhower Park.
“I always believed that hard work yields results,” he reflected. “Those tough times and challenges shaped me into who I am now, and I take pride in that. I’m even hopeful my family will go pro someday.”
Despite dealing with a back injury last year, he secured third place in the tournament and qualified for state competition.
This year, he is determined for success at Eisenhower, as Trinity College Boundary Sleet remarked it’s all about winning.
“Last time, I faced an opponent who was physically stronger and had more experience,” Golubenko noted, revealing that he became serious about tennis at age 13, after relocating to the suburbs.
“That was just the beginning… and now, as I enter my fourth year, I’m fully committed.”
In a related note, the Long Island rematch didn’t disappoint. The St. Anthony’s high school team triumphed over the Chaminade Flyers with a score of 16-12, marking their sixth consecutive Catholic League Championship in boys’ lacrosse. Chaminade had previously defeated St. Anthony’s 11-10 during the regular season and held a 10-6 lead at halftime, but the monks surged back with a determined 7-1 run.
