Tennis, with a ranking of #2 in the state, will finish one of its most successful seasons with what tennis coach Brett Bernstein has dubbed “the last dance.”  

Unlike the name suggests, this isn’t a dance but a highly anticipated matchup between senior varsity boys Qasim Hussain and Patricio Ganem, who have been on-court rivals since their freshman year. According to Bernstein, “Destiny picked the two to play”, and he is simply the organizer of the match between “Vader vs. Skywalker.” The match between the two players will be held at the Clements tennis courts starting at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, October 30.

Both players are excited about the match and are committed to putting 100% effort into battling for the glory of the win. 

“This is the best thing that’s happened to me, bro,” Hussain said. 

Hussain and Ganem both have interesting nicknames on the team, with Hussain being called everything from Q-boss to Mr. Varsity, a term coined after he joined the team his junior year. Ganem is also well-known on the team for being forgetful and has earned the nickname “lost my backpack, lost my laptop, and missed the bus.” According to varsity player Claire Jin, both boys are considered “class clowns,” and she’s sure they’ll put on a show.

“I don’t really like rooting for either because they’re both my friends, but I’m honestly really excited for this match because I think it’ll be really fun,” Jin said.

The match is anticipated to be close. Varsity members Kamil Ratani and Morgan Garcia both believe Hussain will win decisively, but others disagree.

“Patricio is the true embodiment of the spirit of Clements tennis,” senior Lauren Montgomery said.

The event will include everything from a professional mic set up with Coach Bernstein as announcer, diligent ball kids, and fan gear like cardboard cutouts and run-through posters. Although the event will be held during seventh period, all athletic periods on off-season and seniors with seventh period off are encouraged to attend the match and cheer on as they view the “spectacle”.