How Long Island HS tennis player worked his way to become team’s star

Max Golubenko, a tennis player from Manhasset, found himself feeling discouraged about the sport during the summer after his sophomore year.

“I played six or seven tournaments, and in all of them I won only like one or two rounds against, like, lower-rated opponents,” he shared with The Post. “I was playing almost every day of the week, and I was just not getting far.”

Instead of giving up, Golubenko, originally from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, decided to redouble his efforts to improve his game.

“I really started adding in the fitness element and my game changed,” Golubenko explained, mentioning his passion for tennis, which he even wrote about in a supplemental college essay.

As a senior now, he is leading the Long Island leaderboards with a perfect 13-0 record going into the Nassau County tournament at Eisenhower Park this weekend.

“I knew that the hard work would pay off,” he said. “Through those dry streaks and those hard times, they built me to the level that I’m at today. I’m happy and proud of myself … my family is convinced I’m going pro one day.”

Golubenko, who battled a back injury at the start of 12th grade, finished third in last year’s tournament, earning a spot in the states competition.

However, this year, the Trinity College-bound athlete is determined to come out victorious at Eisenhower.

“Last time I was up against opponents physically stronger than me who were playing much longer than me,” Golubenko recalled, noting that he started taking tennis seriously at the age of 13 when he moved to the suburbs.

“It was just a starting point … and this is my senior year, so I’m all in.”

The highly anticipated rematch between Saint Anthony’s High School Friars and Chaminade Flyers did not disappoint.

The Friars secured their sixth consecutive Catholic League championship by defeating the Flyers 16-12, continuing their long-standing rivalry since 2019.

Chaminade, who had previously beaten St. Anthony’s 11-10 in the regular season, held a 10-6 lead at halftime. However, a strong 7-1 third-quarter performance by the Friars sealed the victory.