The face of his Wilson racket gives off a cloud of yellow flurries from striking the tennis ball as he tightens his V-shaped grip around the rubber handle and smashes a winner. Oh sure, a lot of athletes can perform this skill, but senior tennis co-captain Finnian Firth is one of the few who has actually perfected it.

As a versatile singles and doubles player, Firth has combined good communication and smart plays in his three years as a Cardinal athlete. On May 7, 2009, Firth teamed up with doubles player and current senior Brandon Cai to win a 6-0 6-0 doubles match, helping the team clinch victory over the Lincoln Mustangs in the AAA Championships. A consistent athlete, Firth, with current junior Dexter Lee, smashed backhand volleys across the court in last year’s All-City quarterfinals, before losing to the top pair from Galileo. “Finnian works hard everyday and is a smart player on the court,” fellow senior co-captain Will Chan said, “He definitely deserves this.”

In addition to Firth’s outstanding skills, he loves the game. “My favorite thing about tennis is how you can make it suit how you feel,” Firth said. “If you're really energetic and pumped up, play that best-of-five. If you're looking for something less exhausting, try only one set. Or if you just want to enjoy the sunshine, there’s nothing wrong with just hitting back and forth for an hour.”