Bainbridge junior tennis player Hema Hasona won the 14-year-old and under championship recently at the Linda Stewart Memorial Junior Open Tennis Tournament in Dothan, Ala.

Hasona, 13-year-old son of Sadi Hasona, opened tournament play with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Troy Hidle. In the second round, he played the tournament’s No. 1 seed, Andre Phillips, and defeated him 6-3, 6-2.

In the third round, Hasona defeated third-seed Gavin King 6-2, 6-2, and in the finals he defeated second-seeded Jack Rayburn 6-1, 6-0.

Three other Bainbridge players—Stone Inlow, Anne Reynolds and Bill Grimsley—played in the Dothan tournament as well.

Hasona’s 11-year-old brother, Nour, also plays up, competing in the 12-year-old division.

Hema Hasona expressed his appreciation to his dad, who is his personal coach, and several others who helped him along the way.

“To have my dad as a personal coach is really special,” he said. “He encourages me to work hard and do my best. I also want to thank Camon and Dillon Fowler for their help.”

Hema will be a seventh-grader in the fall at the new Bainbridge Middle School located at the old Bainbridge High School.

Hasona, who played college tennis at Bainbridge College and Southern Tech in Marietta, said he is very proud of his sons’ accomplishments on the tennis court.

“Hema works very hard and is competitive in all the tournaments he enters,” he said. “He really concentrates when he is out there on the court.”