Will McCarty

Part of Will McCarty’s love for tennis comes from his obsession with self-improvement.

McCarty, who is homeschool, was named the Premier Preps Male Tennis Player of the Year in 2018, and he’s only gotten better in a year’s time, Northwood Country Club tennis pro Anthony Hiatt said. 

“He’s improved a lot,” Hiatt said. “He’s won quite a few tournaments and has gotten interest from colleges. He recently won a big tournament in Hattiesburg.”

That was the Racquet Club of Hattiesburg’s Junior Spring Slam on April 26, in which McCarty won three matches in straight sets. He is currently ranked No. 6 in the state by USTA in the Boys 18 division, making him the highest-ranked player in East Mississippi. Because of this, McCarty has been named the Male Tennis Player of the Year for the second year in a row.

“I honestly didn’t know,” McCarty said of the accolade. “It’s a nice surprise.”

McCarty agreed with Hiatt in his game’s improvement and said the weight-lifting and sprint running has also helped with his speed.

“I’ve improved in every single way,” McCarty said. “I’m faster, which is something I’ve been working on, and I’ve started working on a few different things while playing matches like coming into the net or starting closer to the baseline.”

While he was pleased to win his matches in the Hattiesburg tournament in straight sets, McCarty said he’s always looking for little things upon which to improve.

“I can’t be upset with the results, but if you lose a point there is room to improve, so you can always do better,” McCarty said.

Much of McCarty’s free time goes toward practicing, but McCarty said he enjoys every minute he spends around the sport.

“I love it,” McCarty said. “I enjoy the friends you make through tennis, and I also like how I can push myself however hard I want. It’s really a mental sport, and it’s not a team sport, so you have to figure out stuff for yourself. Some people say it’s like a chess match. Also, it helps me keep in shape.”