In the scorching 100-degree Fahrenheit heat of Las Vegas, Pavith Khara (10) battles her opponent on the other side of the tennis net. The match nears four hours of play as she recovers from her first set 1-6 loss and then drags out victories in the next two sets, winning the tiebreaker 15-13. Tears of joy stream down her face as her determination and relentless prowess result in a triumph. Two years later, she remembers the moment as “the best tennis” she’s ever played. 

Pavith started playing tennis when she was four years old as a replacement for daycare in order to accommodate her mother’s work schedule. As she spent more time on the blue-green colored courts, she created a deep connection with the sport. 

“I really enjoyed playing and the time passed so fast,” Pavith said. “There was a smile on my face every day playing, and I knew this was something that I wanted to continue doing, regardless of how good I got at it.”

At the age of eight, she began pursuing tennis competitively and currently trains every day for three hours. Pavith’s training program consists of practicing one-on-one with her coach to hone her technique, as well as preparing for match play with a group of 12 girls at clinics, implementing certain aspects of her game to mimic a tournament scenario. 

“I think it’s worth it in the end because I get to do something I love,” Pavith said. “There [are] definitely consequences of not being able to spend that chunk of my afternoon at home studying or doing other things, but I think it’s worth it.”

At the Junior Girls 16 and Under Singles Sectionals in October, Pavith made it to the quarterfinals, ultimately placing fifth in the competition. Though playing against top-ranking players, she finds obsessing over opponents’ rankings futile and instead works on establishing a consistent approach to the game — a more practical mental strategy that focuses on her own progress.  

“No matter who I’m playing against, I should be playing the same way,” Pavith said. “As long as I play my best, that’s all that matters. It doesn’t matter what the outcome is because it all evens out at the end. That’s what keeps it so enjoyable for me as well. I just care about how I play.”

Pavith recalls her on-court emotions, where dealing with her nerves was an important area of improvement and growth. For her, full immersion in the match requires immense focus and control, as she blocks out the outside world and the pressures that come with it. 

“I was so zoned in and locked in that it just went by,” Pavith said. “During match point, I definitely did get tight. I got nervous, but I think that’s just a normal part of it. Finessing [and] getting that down to just being able to stay one shot at a time — it’s a lot of discipline. I’m still working on that every single day.” 

As Pavith specializes in the singles category, she experiences the unique coaching policy during matches. Coaches cannot provide tips and strategies to their players while match play occurs due to standard tennis rules, which places more responsibility on the athletes. 

“You’re very much on your own out there,” Pavith said. “You have no one to talk to and sometimes during those crucial points, you need that. A lot of times in sports, the mental aspects are really buried underneath, but in tennis, you’re forced to address the mental aspect as well as the physical.”

Pavith notes how the additional pressure on herself occasionally mounts as the match goes on, influencing other aspects of the game beyond the mental blockade, like the quality and accuracy of her shots. 

“It’s really easy to blame everything on yourself,” Pavith said. “Obviously, in the heat of emotions, it’s hard to think rationally and logically. It’s a very up-and-down sport and just battling through that is what makes it so much of a challenge.”

During the fall season, Pavith plays on the varsity girls tennis team, playing one singles this year and both singles and doubles last year. She contrasts her usual individual setting to the team environment, where she feels that the girls’ cooperation not only contributes to their combined results, but also offers a space for Pavith to share her passion for the sport with others.    

“I’m playing with all these other girls, and it doesn’t matter how I do in my match compared to how the overall scores are,” Pavith said. “But at the same time, it does matter how I do in my match because I contribute to that score. Being able to have a tight-knit team rely on each other and go through these experiences playing against other teams [is] so much fun, and it’s such a unique experience.”

Teammate Olivia Guo (11) describes Pavith as a light-hearted and easy-going personality on the team but also appreciates her sincere attitude when helping other teammates out. 

“She’s a really good friend of mine because she keeps me company on the team,” Olivia said. “She’s honest and she’s really able to give you honest feedback if you ask her.”

Whether playing in an individual competition or as part of a team, Pavith attributes tennis to self-discovery above all else. The sport helped shape her habits and personality on and off the court. 

“I’ve gotten to learn what my strengths [and] weaknesses are, not only in terms of tennis shots but my strengths and weaknesses in my head,” Pavith said. “Being able to learn more about myself has played a huge role in how I can better myself outside the court, as well as just being able to enjoy myself. I don’t see playing tennis as a requirement or a chore. I look forward to it every single day.”