By Steve Breazeale
When the San Clemente tennis doubles duo of senior Matt Greenberg and junior Billy Whitaker take the court, they like to think they are punching in their timecards.
In three years, the tandem has been so effective on the court, they have approached the game like getting points and match wins is their job. Together, they have won 127 regular season game points for the Tritons and dropped only six.
Now, with the CIF-SS Individual Championships in full swing, Whitaker and Greenberg find themselves in the postseason tournament’s Round of 16, set to take place Friday, June 6 the Seal Beach Tennis Club.
The two sat next to one another on Tuesday afternoon, relaxing in the calm before another round of the storm that is CIF competition. Greenberg has been hit by tonsillitis, making it difficult for him to talk for lengthy periods of time. Whitaker was about to speak to the pairing’s mindset when playing on the court together. But before he could complete the sentence, Greenberg chimes in with four telling words in his hoarse voice.
“It’s like a job,” Greenberg said.
Whitaker immediately picks up on his teammate’s thought.
“That’s what we say, whenever we go out, it’s just like a job. We need to go out and get it done and do it correctly,” Whitaker adds. “We’re both aggressive and like to hit hard and dominate other teams. It’s not that we just need three points, we’re looking to beat them so bad that the rest of our team will have an edge.”
The two have come to expect big things not only from themselves, but from each other, which has made them such a dynamic and effective pair for the Tritons.
Both stand over 6 feet tall and sport extended wing spans. Whitaker has a crushing serve and Greenberg is extremely effective at the net and knows when to be aggressive, according to head coach John Stephens.
Mentally, they remain even-keeled and have been around one another for so long they think several moves in advance, anticipating what the other is going to do.
In 2014, the Tritons tennis team was strong in singles play and, outside of Greenberg and Whitaker, the doubles teams remained a work in progress. If singles players like senior Nic Valko, sophomore Jay Yeam and freshman Michael Bott were having a good day and picked up points, the onus fell on the veteran doubles team to earn all three of their available points and seal a victory. That pressure was something they thrived in during the season and throughout their recent playoff run.
“They had a lot of pressure on them. But I don’t think there was one match that counted where they didn’t come through this year,” Stephens said.
Greenberg and Whitaker ended the 2014 regular season with a 40-2 record and have won three matches in CIF-SS doubles competition.
Last season, the two were stellar. They had a 43-2 overall record and liked their chances heading into the playoffs. In a practice just days before the postseason, Whitaker slipped on a ball and hyperextended his elbow, ending the team’s hopes before they had a chance to play one game.
Last year’s disappointment has made this year’s run more meaningful. Not only is it the farthest they have advanced in CIF competition, it will also be their last run together as high school teammates.
“We couldn’t be in it last year, now this is our time to shine,” Greenberg said. “This has been our best showing and we’re having a lot of fun.”
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