By Dylan Butler
Ari Gayer sure knows how to make an instant impact. The Townsend Harris freshman made it to the Mayor’s Cup quarterfinals and played arguably the match of the tournament, losing to Xaverian’s Keith Kessler, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (8-6) in a two-and-a-half hour thriller Saturday morning at the National Tennis Center.
And it was his first appearance in the Mayor’s Cup varsity competition.
It is no wonder Howie Arons, coach of Cardozo, the borough’s top boys’ team for more than a decade, calls Gayer, “the one that got away.”
“I made progress. To get to the quarterfinals as freshman, I’m happy,” said Gayer, who was seeded seventh. “I’m not that angry because I thought I played pretty well.”
Arons said he has known Gayer, a Fresh Meadows resident, since he was 7 years old. Since age 12, Gayer has been taught by Arons at the Bay Terrace Indoor Tennis Center in Bayside.
“He’s a very competitive kid, an all-around hard worker,” Arons said. “I wish he went to Cardozo.”
Instead of choosing the best tennis program to play for, Gayer, who turned 15 in March, opted for the best academic school in Townsend Harris.
“It’s close, it’s a good academic school and it has smaller classes, which helps,” Gayer said of Townsend Harris, where he has a 96 average. “But between tennis and Townsend Harris, it really takes away from your social life.”
Arons’ loss proved to be Howard Furman’s gain. With Gayer at first singles, Townsend Harris finished the regular season 5-5 and advanced to the PSAL ‘A’ playoffs for the first time in school history. The Hawks lost in the first round, 4-1 to Hunter College High School. Gayer won the only winner.
His lone loss during the PSAL season was to Bayside senior Chris Efstathiou, 10-6 on April 18. Gayer returned the favor in the Mayor’s Cup third round, winning 7-6, 6-2.
According to his father, Jonas Gayer, Ari always has had great hand-eye coordination.
“When he was an infant he would sit on the floor and we’d roll a ball back and forth and he’d be able to catch the ball and roll it back,” he said. “When he was 3 or 4 years old he could hit the ball over the net on the court. Crowds of people watched and he seemed to like the attention.”
Gayer, who is ranked No. 23 in the USTA Eastern 16s, was ranked in the top 10 in the 14s for most of last year and finished ranked No. 12.
“I have to get used to these tournaments. I always feel the pressure,” said Gayer, who lost in the finals of the Mayor’s Cup junior tournament last year. “I’m a little better indoors; I’m not used to playing outdoors.”
“He’s got a lot of talent,” Arons added. “His forehand is excellent. He has a really big game and he’s getting stronger by the day. Ari is undoubtedly the best freshman in the city and the potential is there for him to be a very good college player.”
With three more years of high school tennis in front of him, don’t think Gayer has heard the last of Arons.
“I’m always going to rib him. Of all the kids who didn’t go to Cardozo, I’m the most disappointed that Ari didn’t,” Arons said. “But I still respect his decision. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him that I wouldn’t do for anyone else on my team.”
Cardozo duo wins Mayor’s Cup doubles title
A year after Alex Dobrin and John Malhame captured the Mayor’s Cup doubles title, another pair from Cardozo won the title as Ari Fiul and Rex Lam defeated second-seeded Joel Bitner and Daniel Cherif from Xavier, 6-4, 6-3.
Reach Associate Sports Editor Dylan Butler by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 143.
