A tennis ball sounds different when it comes off Tony Deimler’s racket.
Especially when he rears back and unleashes a first serve.
Wham-o.
Warwick’s senior likes to tell the story about the first time he realized he could use his power game to his advantage.
“When I first started playing high school tennis,” he said, “I got angry and for whatever reason I hit four really hard serves in a row. And they all stayed in. So I knew the power was there.”
Over the years Deimler has learned to harness that power. And now, as a polished senior and one of the top talents in the Lancaster-Lebanon League and around District 3, he uses that booming first serve and a slick, powerful backhand to take on all-comers.
“You can hit it as hard as you possibly can, but if it doesn’t land in, it doesn’t mean anything,” Deimler said this week. “That’s something I’ve improved since last year. And it’s definitely been an advantage. If I get out of groove a little bit, it’s definitely a good equalizer. If I can crack a couple of aces and set the tone early in my direction, that’s huge.”
Deimler learned the game at age 5 from his grandfather, and started getting lessons and taking the game more seriously in the seventh grade.
At first glimpse, the Warriors’ heavy hitter looks more like an outside linebacker.
“Yeah, I get that a lot,” Deimler said, smiling. “When people ask me what sport I play and I tell them tennis, they’re like, no!”
Yes. And he plays it really well; Deimler has committed to West Chester University, where he’ll play for the Rams’ men’s tennis team.
But first, he’s hoping to finish off his prep career in style after an off-season dedicated to polishing his game on and off the court.
Deimler logged a lot of on-court hours with his teacher, Oliver Merrill, at Racquet Club West, and, he said, worked on his mental approach.
“I fine-tuned everything,” he said, with an extra emphasis on everything. “Especially mentally and strategizing. A lot of tennis is mental.”
The first sign that Deimler’s off-season work was paying off: He beat Hempfield junior Derek Hagino, the reigning L-L and District 3 singles champ, 6-3, 7-6 in a league match last month.
Hagino didn’t drop an L-L match last spring, so Deimler definitely announced his presence with authority with that W.
“While it was a victory for me, the match was really close and it was a cold, windy day,” Deimler said. “It was definitely a confidence booster, but I know I’m going to see him again this year.”
Maybe more than once, with league and district singles and doubles tournaments on the horizon.
“I’ve always been kind of the underdog during my high school career,” Deimler said. “And I thought I had a really nice league and district tournament last year. But the target was never on my back. Now maybe some targets will be on my back, and that’s exciting.”
Hagino will be lurking, no doubt. And Cedar Crest junior Colin Muraika, who will go for the Lebanon County Championship title on Saturday on his home court.
“I finished third in the L-L and fourth in the district tournament last year,” Deimler said. “I knew I was capable of winning a championship, so that gave me the determination to train harder and to make the most out of all the court time that I could get.”
So far so good this spring. After a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Lebanon’s Christian Maldonado on Tuesday, Deimler is undefeated this spring — and picking up more momentum with a match against Muraika on next week’s docket.
“My goal was to be at the top of the league this year,” Deimler said. “I’m excited. The league and District 3 tournaments are my most favorite weekends of the year. As long as I can keep focused and just have fun, I think I’ll be fine.”
If his booming serve is working, maybe even better than just fine.