The Ross School's Alejandro Perez Trapero wins Suffolk County tennis championship
Alejandro Perez Trapero of The Ross School smashes the forehand return during the Suffolk boys individual tennis finals on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in St. James. Credit: Dawn McCormick
In his section tournament debut, Alejandro Perez Trapero was quick to impress.
The Ross School sophomore captured his first singles title at the Suffolk boys tennis individual championships on Tuesday in Saint James. Perez Trapero defeated his Ross School teammate Ignacio Pena Lopez, 6-3, 6-2, to secure the title.
“Since the beginning, it’s been a goal of mine to do the best I can in the division and in counties, and I think I’ve accomplished that,” Perez Trapero said. “I’m really happy with the win.”
Despite the tough conditions with temperatures reaching 89 degrees, Perez Trapero made the win look easy. Rather than the heat, Perez Trapero (18-0) said the most difficult part of the match was competing against his strongest teammate. Pena Lopez’s (16-2) only losses this season are to Perez Trapero.
“[Pena Lopez] is a really tough rival,” Perez Trapero said. “He knows how to make me miss and he played a really good game. I’m excited to keep playing with him at states.”
The Ross School teammates, along with third-place finisher Leonardo Villacreses of Sachem, punched their tickets to the state tournament, with the first round beginning at 8 a.m. June 5 at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing. Villacreses defeated Macchia, 6-4, 6-1.
Joining the singles finalists in Flushing are Shoreham-Wading River brothers Ray and Kai Hidaka, who secured the doubles title over Smithtown West brothers Ishaanth and Sreeyanth Reddy Guduru, 6-2, 7-5.
“It’s probably one of the greatest accomplishments of my life,” Ray said. “Winning the county was a goal we set at the start of the season and we accomplished it which was such a great feeling. Not only just to win, but to do it with my brother.”
The pair hasn’t played together all season, often moving around in the lineup depending on the match. But, together, Kai Hidaka said they have a unique edge over other opponents: The sibling connection.
“The connection shows up in our support for each other,” Kai said. “We’re with each other through ups and downs during matches and of course we try to keep each other up. We can also communicate in Japanese, so sometimes we use that to kind of be in our own moment.”
Sena Donnolly and Luke Mayola of Rocky Point will also head to Flushing in June, earning a third place finish in the doubles bracket over Harborfields pair Boden Rudloff and Brody Surbeck, 7-6 (4), 7-5. Rudloff and Surbeck also qualified for states.
Tess Ferguson is a reporter on Newsday's high school sports staff. She joined the team after graduating with a journalism degree from Ithaca College in 2025.
