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Two brothers, two contrasting styles
Westfield's Sam and Will Datta are brothers and share many of the same qualities, but their tennis games are near opposites of each other."It's funny because we play completely different on the court," noted Sam. "I'm power. If I can't win in an hour and a half, I'll probably just end up losing. His matches go a long, long time. He's used to playing long matches because he's very consistent, gets everything back in."
The pair has been playing tennis for years on the same courts with their father, and now they share another court – with the Bulldogs' tennis team. A senior, Sam plays in the No. 1 spot on the squad. Will is a sophomore and is the team's No. 3 player.
Both have contrasting styles of play, but there is one similarity between them: footwork. Sam is a boxer in his downtime, a sport that has improved his footwork immensely. Will naturally has good movement, an asset that Westfield coach Susan Nidzgorski said is essential for anyone wanting to pick up a racket.
"You can have great strokes but if you have sloppy footwork, it doesn't matter if you have a $500 racket," said the coach. "You're not gonna be able to execute. Footwork is everything and it allows you to stay in matches, particularly this time of year when the weather changes and it starts to get really hot."
On Tuesday afternoon at Oakton, the Datta's each picked up a win over their opponents. Sam easily handled Andrew Yun, 10-1. Will took a little longer – as his brother predicted – to beat Kevin Chen, but he eventually won via a 10-8 decision. The younger Datta battled back from a 5-2 deficit to claim victory.
Sam and Will play at Fairfax Racquet Club with their father, and play USTA tournaments during the summer. Will said being on the court throughout the year has helped both of the youngsters' games evolve into what they are today.
"It's helped because you got to play with more competitive kids, so you get better that way because you're playing more matches," Will said. "That's one of the best ways to get better – to keep playing."
Nidzgorski was asked about the players' leadership skills – specifically during team practices – and how the rest of the players respond to the pair.
"Will is very quiet, but he very much leads by his play on the court," she said. "I know he has respect from his peers. Sam, to be honest with you, is one of the most unselfish players that I've had the privilege of coaching."
She went on to describe when Sam recently gave up his place in the lineup during a match with Herndon so that another senior – Chad Sussman – could have a go at it and experience playing in the the No. 1 singles slot.
Sam will attend James Madison University in the fall, but not to play tennis. Will? He'll be at Westfield for two more seasons, remaining consistent as ever.
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