Canyon Crest Academy duo perseveres on the way to CIF doubles crown

To win the CIF San Diego Section girls tennis doubles title, Canyon Crest Academy’s Isabelle Hsu and Minerva Toda needed soft hands to volley, confidence to hit out from the baseline, nerves on second serves and  … a hearty supply of snacks.

Their 6-7, 7-6, 7-5 win over Elizabeth Dang and Josephine Nguyen of Westview High School on Saturday at the Balboa Tennis Club lasted longer than “The Godfather” movie, some 3 hours and 7 minutes.

Hsu downed a banana and energy bar during the match. Toda gobbled dried fruit, dates and a mango.

Both washed the food down with drinks fortified by electrolytes.

Later that afternoon, Hsu was so emotionally and physically exhausted that she took a two-hour nap. Toda chilled, resting, passing time on her cellphone.

Of the win, Hsu, a junior, said, “I think I was just shell-shocked.”

Twenty-four hours after the victory, Toda, a sophomore, said, “It still feels unreal to me.”

When talking about Hsu and Toda, Canyon Crest coach Kevin Brown cites a line from the Tennessee Williams play “The Glass Menagerie”: “For nowadays the world is lit by lightning.”

“They’re lightning people,” said Brown. “They just show up and things happen. On any bus ride, Isabelle is right in the middle of all the conversations.”

Linda Hsu said her daughter is the most outgoing person in the family.

Said Isabelle, “I’ve been told that when my parents dropped me off to preschool the first day, I didn’t even say goodbye. I just walked in. I didn’t turn around to my parents.”

As for her positive nature, Toda said: “I just try to focus on the better things. Even if I miss a shot, I focus on how I can fix it. I don’t mentally kill myself for making the mistake.”

In breaking down the tandem’s games, Brown said of Hsu: “She doesn’t have a weakness. Backhand, forehand, she volleys well. She serves well. If anything, we’ve got to improve her shot selection and pace. She’s got to hit the ball a little harder.”

Of the 4-foot-11, 100-pound Toda, Brown said: “She’s got great instincts for doubles. She knows where to go and sees the open court. You can’t teach that.”

Aside from tennis-specific skills, Brown said Hsu and Toda possess the most important trait in a good doubles team.

“It’s chemistry,” Brown said. “They’re friends. They enjoy playing together. It makes it easier to coach. You’re not managing personalities.”

Asked what she likes about tennis, Hsu paused for a few moments, thinking.

“I accept my mistakes more now,” she said. “Tennis isn’t a game of perfection. That aspect has carried over to other parts of my life.”

Said Toda: “I think my favorite part of tennis is when you learn something new. You don’t do it well immediately. You work on it and little by little, you can do it by habit. And I feel like I accomplished something.”

Hsu and Toda have been playing tennis since they were 4 or 5. They’ve known each other for about five years through junior tennis. Hsu plays mixed doubles with Toda’s brother, Julius.

The key to their success?

“We communicate well,” said Toda, “On and off the court.”

They came into the San Diego Section doubles tournament as the No. 4 seed.

“Honestly,” said Hsu, “I went in with mediocre expectations.”

In the semifinals, the Ravens’ tandem faced No. 1-seeded sisters Savannah and Samantha Harpster of Del Norte. Hsu and Toda finished the season with a 27-4 record. All four losses came to the Harpster sisters.

In Friday’s semis, Hsu and Toda walked off the court with a 6-3, 6-7, 11-9 win.

They were more aggressive in the semifinals, attacking second serves and rushing the net.

“And we focused on not trying to do too much,” said Toda. “Get an extra ball back.”

Then came Saturday’s 3-hour, 7-minute marathon.

One day after the memorable match, the pair were still soaking in what they accomplished.

“It was surreal,” Hsu said. “It’s honestly unreal. I can’t believe it.”

Added Toda, “It’s kind of like a dream come true.”