The Richmond women’s tennis team returns some familiar faces as tryouts began Tuesday for the 2009 season.

According to Lady Raider coach Paula York, Richmond will likely welcome back five players from last year’s squad. All of the returning players will be seniors — Fahana Shemna, Ashley Martin, Taylor Wright, Lauren Grant and Alyssa Reynolds.

Grant and Reynolds, alternated as the Lady Raiders’ No. 3 and No. 4 singles players last season, advanced to the second round of the Mid-Southeastern Conference tournament as double partners in 2008.

York said two more seniors, Maggie McKenzie and Leyka Hamilton, are expected to join on the squad. York added neither McKenzie or Hamilton have played tennis before.

McKenzie is a pitcher on the Richmond softball team, while Hamilton ran track for Richmond last year. York believes the Lady Raiders will have a total of seven players on the roster, if no one else tries out for the squad.

Despite returning five players from a season ago and having all seniors, York admitted all the team members are still learning how to play the game.

“Even though these girls are seniors, that doesn’t mean they’re experienced tennis players,” York said. “We’re still having to work a lot on fundamentals such as hitting forehands, backhands and serving the ball. We’re also concentrating on improving our conditioning. I hope in a couple more days that we will step it up.”

According to York, some of members of the team said they’ve practiced during the summer break, but none participated in tournaments or received any private lessons.

York said Richmond lags behind schools such as Pinecrest, which have players that play competitive tennis on a year around basics. York added part of the reason why Richmond is behind the other area schools is because there is very little family connection to the sport and there are very few facilities to play at in the immediate area.

“In years past, a lot of parents played tennis, but nowadays, there aren’t many that play the game,” York said. “Usually kids lean toward sports, in which someone close to them were involved in. Also, there are few courts to go to and play, which is at the (Richmond Senior) high school and a couple in Hamlet. There is the court at the (Richmond Pines) country club, but you’ve got to be a member to play there.”

Though sports such as football are more popular, York said people who participate in tennis are able to play the game a lot longer than the ones who compete in team sports.

“I know people believe that the game is expensive to play, but it’s a sport that you can very well play into your 60s or 70s,” York said. “You can’t do that with many other sports.”

York believes with Richmond getting a late jump to begin its season it was best to cancel the team’s only scrimmage at Lee County on Thursday. The Lady Raiders are scheduled to open the regular season at South View on Aug. 19.

Contact sports reporter Corey Davis at 997-3111, ext. 44; e-mail cdavis@yourdailyjournal.com