Bryant Roche

Gianna Blacutt repeats the phrase “keep the ball in play” over and over again.

During tennis practice, the “KIP” drill has meant streaks of up to 216 shots with Grimsley teammate Sukie Wang , half-court, down the line, even just generic shots over the net.

It isn’t about overpowering the opponent with hard slams or making them run up to the net to chase down drop shots. It’s about maintaining consistency with a steady pace and building patience.

This season, Blacutt is 13-0 across No. 1 and No. 2 singles matches and 7-1 in No. 1 doubles for the 12-3 Whirlies, who begin their dual-team playoff run at home against No. 20 seed Lake Norman on Wednesday after receiving a first-round bye as the 7A west region’s fifth seed.

“What I find works best for me is rolling the ball, j

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