For the first time in over a decade, Delbarton tennis is back on top.
The Green Wave claimed the team title at the 32nd Annual Bryan Bennett Tennis Tournament this weekend, a two-day event hosted across Delbarton and Villa Walsh. It marks Delbarton's first championship at its home tournament since 2012, capping off a dominant and resilient run through a loaded field of the state's top tennis programs.
Delbarton opened play on Saturday with a commanding 5-0 sweep of Ridge, punching its ticket to the semifinals without dropping a match.
The semifinal against Pingry proved to be the turning point of the tournament — a tightly contested battle that came down to the wire. After splitting the first four flights, the match hinged on a pair of dramatic third-set super tiebreakers.
At third singles, Adi Somaiya delivered in the clutch, grinding out an 11-9 win in the deciding tiebreak after dropping the second set. Moments later, the first doubles team of Hugh Weldon and Haydn Lee battled back from a first-set tiebreak loss to secure a 6-7, 7-5, 10-7 victory, clinching the match for the Green Wave. Aiden Paul also contributed a straight-set win at second singles.
With momentum on its side, Delbarton turned quickly to the championship match, facing West Windsor-Plainsboro South just an hour after the semifinal thriller.
The Green Wave showed no signs of fatigue.
Delbarton swept all five flights to secure the title, highlighted by straight-set victories from Aaron Paul at first singles and Aiden Paul at second singles. Somaiya once again needed a super tiebreak at third singles, prevailing 10-6 in the decider. Both doubles teams followed suit, with Weldon and Lee rallying for another three-set win, while Alex Choi and Chase Eagan closed out the tournament with a strong performance at second doubles.
In addition to the team championship, Newark Academy was honored with the tournament's Sportsmanship Award, while Rich Arnold of West Windsor-Plainsboro South received the Commitment to High School Tennis Award.
For Delbarton, the weekend was a complete team effort — depth, composure, and timely performances across the lineup — all culminating in a long-awaited return to the top of the Bryan Bennett Tournament.
