Columbus North freshman Alek Devidze is The Republic Boys Tennis Player of the Year. He is pictured on the tennis courts at Columbus North High School in Columbus, Ind., Friday, Oct. 31, 2025.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
Alek Devidze is a Columbus North freshman, but he didn’t play like a freshman on the court.
Devidze stepped into the No. 1 singles spot for the Bull Dogs, and depsite playing against bigger and stronger upperclassmen, he didn’t disappoint. He is The Republic Boys Tennis Player of the Year.
Devidze had big shoes to fill following the departure of singles state champion Hank Lin. He’s also the first Boys Tennis Player of the Year since 2017 that hasn’t been a member of the Lin family.
It was big shoes to fill for Devidze at the position, but he embraced the challenge.
“I knew that there was going to be hard matches against bigger, stronger, older kids than me. I knew that it was going to take a lot of hard work and dedication, and I was willing to put that into the game,” Devidze said. “It was definitely knowing when you spin the racket with a kid that is twice the size as you, it’s like a little bit intimidating, but again, there is no pressure as a freshman to win this match. Everyone expects the senior to win over the freshman, so I mean by size comparison, yeah, but not the expectations.”
Devidze finished 21-4 at No. 1 singles with two of his losses to Center Grove’s Yuvraj Dasari, a state semifinalist in singles, and to Homestead’s Joe Garrean, the state singles champion.
“It was really good, I thought,” Devidze said. “As a freshman, I didn’t think there was much pressure going in, and I think I had a pretty good record overall, so it was a great season.”
Following the season, Devidze earned All-Conference, All-District and Second Team All-State honors in singles.
“He really handled that position very well in most of his matches. Overall, there was only a couple of matches where he really got beat by guys that were First-Team All-State this year, and even there, everyone else he competed with and obviously his record shows how well he really did for the season,” North coach Kendal Hammel said. “He handled it and each one of those guys, just like some of the guys we had in the past. You look forward to getting someone in there coming in as a freshman, and they can step right in there because they’re good enough to be able to be in that position, and it’s going to be helpful down the road for the next few years for him, for sure.”
Devidze will look to make a big leap forward next year.
“I definitely feel pretty good. I think the kid (Garrean) who beat me (in the team state quarterfinals) is going to be a problem, but I have to train my best and have some dedication and see what I can do next year,” he said. “I definitely got to keep the ball in control because the seniors and juniors can be smashing the ball much harder than I can, so I know I have to be quick on my feet and get to those balls and keep the point in control, and I did the best I could.”
Hammel already has noticed Devidze putting in the offseason work.
“I think he has the desire and the drive to really improve upon what he did,” Hammel said. “The season’s done, and he has already been out there hitting a lot of balls, starting to take lessons again from people and going to do tournaments and trying to do a few things that’s going to get him in better shape all-around as far as an athlete down the road. So he’s accepting that role, and then he’s looking forward not only for the team goals, but for himself and where it may benefit.”
The Republic 2025 All-Area Boys Tennis team:
Alek Devidze, Columbus North: The freshman went 21-4 at No. 1 singles.
Teddy Littrell, Columbus North: The senior went 17-9 at No. 1 doubles and was a state doubles quarterfinalist.
Vince Sasse, Columbus North: The senior went 17-9 at No. 1 doubles and was a state doubles quarterfinalist.
Max Wei, Columbus North: The sophomore went 10-15 at No. 2 singles.
Jace Branham, Columbus North: The senior went 14-11, mostly at No. 3 singles.
Jaishil Padmanabhan, Columbus North: The senior went 17-6, mostly at No. 2 doubles.
Luca Devidze, Columbus North: The sophomore went 17-6, mostly at No. 2 doubles.
Parker Bales, Jennings County: The senior went 23-3 at No. 1 singles.
Ty Zohrlaut, Jennings County: The senior went 20-4 a No. 1 doubles.
Luke Napier, Jennings County: The sophomore went 20-4 at No. 1 doubles.
Kam Blair, Hauser: The senior went 14-8, mostly at No. 1 doubles.
RJ Foster, Hauser: The senior went 14-8, mostly at No. 1 doubles.
Honorable mention
Brown County: Jax Burt. Columbus East: Kai Bergmann, Trevor Ernst, Landon Redelman. Columbus North: Harsil Gandhi. Edinburgh: Bailey Totten. Hauser: Joel Bechtel, James Oliver. Trinity Lutheran: Daniel Naewedde, Jonathan Naewedde, Jack Stuckwisch.
