By Matt Browning
Wichita Collegiate’s Charlie Gentile is the defending Class 3-1A singles state champion, but that hasn’t stopped the senior from setting lofty goals for 2026.
“Individually, I hope to go undefeated in all matches, singles or doubles,” Gentile said. “I have always had the mentality to set my goals as high as possible. When I began my career, I hoped to win four state titles in a row. While I wasn’t able to achieve it, my motivation to be great has not diminished.”
After losing in the semifinals during his freshman and sophomore seasons, Gentile realized there was an aspect of his game that needed improvement.
“I lost in the semifinals to guys that were older than me and in better physical condition,” Gentile said. “Other losses in my career have occurred because I played more aggressively to avoid playing in longer matches. Training for basketball has improved my stamina tremendously and I am excited to see how it translates to tennis.”
Gentile said joining the basketball team has been a positive experience.
“This past year, I decided to join the basketball team which took up a lot of my time so I wasn’t able to train much tennis,” Gentile said. “While my game with the racquet hasn’t improved, I am in the best physical shape of my life because of basketball offseason training and practices during the season.”
