Jamestown doubles duo named to All-State Team
· Yahoo Sports
Jun. 10—JAMESTOWN — Anna Hronova will be returning to the Czech Republic as one of the best tennis players in North Dakota.
"Coming to Jamestown I didn't know what to expect about the school or the level of playing here," Hronova said. "I just wanted to make most of my time. Honestly I think it went better than I expected. When I look back, I can see that we improved significantly in our doubles play with Elise (Roberts) and that's what helped us succeed at State."
Visit mwafrika.life for more information.
Hronova and Roberts, a recent graduate of Jamestown High School, were named to the 2026 NDHSAA Girls Tennis All-State Doubles Team.
"In the early stages of Anna and I's doubles, I really did have my doubts about if we would even make it to State or not," Roberts said. " ... (But) Anna and I's doubles is like cheese — better with time. However, through our off-court bonding and frequent Taco Bell runs, we were able to build the chemistry that some doubles teams spend years working to build. The more times we play together, the more we are able to learn about how we both play and how we can make things work together smoothly."
Hronova and Roberts pulled together to earn a 5-4 regular-season record.
"I really love her as a teammate," Hronova said of Roberts. "She brings a great energy that makes us want to get better every day. Also, we spend so much time together on and off the court that it created a bond words can't describe. Playing together was always my favorite part of game days. Our playing is like magnets. Once we found each other, we were inseparable. Every time I played singles after that, it made me feel like I was missing something on the court."
Hronova and Roberts competed at the state tournament on May 29-30. In the first round, the pair defeated Katelyn Posl and Ellie Heilman, of West Fargo Horace, 6-2, 6-4. In the quarterfinals, the duo topped Red River's Ruby Schneider and Kalli Block 6-4, 6-3.
Roberts found out about the duo's selection to the All-State team after the quarterfinal win at the state tournament.
"I remember just being overcome with excitement and being very grateful that a foreign exchange student, who is amazing at tennis, just happened to end up on my team," Roberts said. "This All-State honor is a huge accomplishment for us. It proves to me that all the hours of practice weren't for nothing. Going into the season, it was always a goal, but not something that I was very sure would happen."
Hronova and Roberts wound up dropping to Ava Thuner and Grace Olson of Minot in the state semifinals 6-2, 7-6 (7-3).
"I have played tournaments before, but State was a very different experience," Hronova said. "I really liked that everyone was very friendly and supportive of one another."
Hronova has been playing tennis since age 5. She is a native of the Czech Republic.
"Having Anna as a teammate was like a dream come true," Roberts said. "With her playing as the one seed, it gave everyone else a better opportunity to play someone closer to their skill level. I also think that her positive attitude and mindset was very beneficial for the team.
"Anna is a very good baseline player, and I am a good net player," she said. "We were able to find a lot of success when we were in situations that required that combination of our strengths. Anna and I also value communication and teamwork. We went into every match just playing it for each other. Anna and I have a bond now that will last a lifetime. Hopefully, sometime in the future, we will get the chance to play together again."
On Nov. 12, Roberts signed to play collegiate-level tennis at the University of Jamestown. Roberts has been a part of the JHS tennis team for five years. She was named the Jays' No. 1 at the beginning of the 2025 season, while this season, she was the No. 2. She turned in a singles record of 5-4.
"Coming into my last season as a Blue Jay was very bittersweet," Roberts said. "I was sad because it was my last time with this amazing group of people, but excited for what the future holds for me. I feel like the season went very well. Anna and I's partnership grew exponentially with every match and, in the end, all that hard work paid off."