Newark Academy Pair Won State Tennis Doubles Title

Freshman Sophie Yao and senior Yuxi Zhang secured Newark Academy's first-ever state doubles championship.

Updated on Oct. 11, 2026 in Tennis

Newark Academy Pair Won State Tennis Doubles Title

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Newark Academy students Sophie Yao and Yuxi Zhang defeated two-time defending champions Rachel Bai and Angelina Gao to claim the state doubles title. The victory marks the first time Newark Academy has earned the state championship in the doubles category.

Why it matters

The win signals a major milestone for the school's tennis program, ending a streak held by previous titleholders. Yao and Zhang's ability to overcome a first-set deficit highlighted a successful tactical shift during the match.

The match was decided by a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 final score after Yao and Zhang overcame an early deficit. This win snapped the dominance of previous champions who held two consecutive titles.

The players

Sophie Yao

She is a freshman student-athlete who attends Newark Academy.

Yuxi Zhang

She is a senior student-athlete who competes for Newark Academy.

Rachel Bai

She is a student-athlete from Pingry and a former two-time tournament champion.

Angelina Gao

She is a student-athlete from Pingry and a former two-time tournament champion.

Newark Academy

This is a secondary school that secured its first state doubles tennis title.

The details

After losing the first set, Yao and Zhang adjusted their strategy by shifting from net play to a two-player back formation to optimize their volleys. They focused solely on individual point execution rather than the match score to maintain momentum throughout the final two sets.

The state doubles title was won on October 11, 2026.
The last time a doubles pair achieved consecutive tournament titles was in 2022.

Season Trajectory

This win fundamentally shifts the state's doubles hierarchy by ending a multi-year reign by a dominant pair. It elevates Newark Academy in the playoff conversation for future seasons, disrupting the previous status quo.

This championship win marks the first time in program history that Newark Academy has produced state-level doubles winners. The loss for the Pingry pair concludes a run that saw them defend the title for two consecutive seasons.

The takeaway

Maintaining focus on individual points rather than the overall match score can be a powerful mental tool for overcoming early deficits. Successful mid-match tactical adjustments, such as changing positioning, are often the key to flipping the outcome of high-stakes competitions.