Who is Amalia Oganesian? Just a Pawtucket girl who made tennis history in her hometown on Sunday

PAWTUCKET — The first hometown tennis champion in six decades left Slater Park in triumph Sunday afternoon. 

Amalia Oganesian claimed an Interscholastic League singles crown for Shea High, something that hadn’t been done by a boy or girl from the city since 1964. 

Oganesian rallied from a significant deficit in the opening set and rolled out to a commanding lead in the second. She finished off a 7-5, 6-1 victory over South Kingstown standout Alexa Clark to lift the trophy under unseasonably warm sunshine. 

“Incredible,” Oganesian said. “I’ve been wanting to play and win this tournament for so long. To actually hold this in my hands, it’s sinking in right now.” 

Oganesian captured 11 straight games after falling into an early 5-1 hole. That pushed her within a whisker of winning the match in the second set, and she rebounded immediately after dropping serve at 5-0. Clark sent a backhand long and Oganesian added an RIIL title to what has been a decorated junior career to date. 

“One lesson a week turned into two, then three, four, five,” Oganesian said. “My game grew very quickly and I was like, ‘I really want to do this.’  

“There’s something incredible when you come on court and your heart gets going and you start running around. That feeling is addicting. I absolutely love it.” 

Oganesian is the first Pawtucket girl to win the singles tournament, which started in 1973. The last Pawtucket boy to keep the title at home was Bruce Kiernan, who did the honors 61 years ago. That was for the old Pawtucket West High, which was renamed after former superintendent Charles Shea in the 1970s. 

It comes in Oganesian’s first year playing for the Raiders. She’s homeschooled to allow for frequent travel to junior tournaments, and the RIIL requires those athletes to compete for the program in their district rather than using a pathways or vocational route elsewhere. That means Oganesian playing at No. 1 singles for Shea, a program currently fighting for a playoff spot in Division III. 

“I love my team,” Oganesian said. “All the girls are great – very humble. I love going out to practices and playing matches with them.” 

It looked like business as usual early for Clark, the Holy Cross commit who was attempting to join Pam Emery and Peri Sheinin as the third three-time girls singles champion since 2000. She held serve routinely in the opening game and broke Oganesian in each of her first three times at the line to build what seemed like a comfortable lead. Oganesian started the climb back when she broke Clark serving for the set to 5-2. 

“That’s usually how I play,” Oganesian said. “I have to settle into the match first. Once I’m down I lock in more.” 

Oganesian steadily built momentum from there, using a drop shot on the forehand to pull even at 5-5 and converting the first of three break points to take her first lead at 6-5. Clark sent a forehand long on set point as Oganesian captured a sixth straight game to push ahead in the match. 

“Sometimes I play more aggressive,” Oganesian said. “Sometimes I play more consistent. But I always try. I never tank. I always fight because I really want it.” 

Oganesian broke serve to open the second set and kept rolling from there. She only blinked when serving for the match, the reality of what she was about to accomplish causing her to tighten up just for a moment. Oganesian reset between games and went back to what was working so well.  

“Definitely a confidence surge,” Oganesian said. “Once I get going and get my rhythm, I have to keep my focus.” 

Oganesian models her game after Ash Barty, the former world No. 1 and three-time Grand Slam champion who retired in March 2022. Neither has the advantage of being a 6-footer who can physically dominate an opponent over the course of three sets. Barty was a multi-sport athlete whose movement and variety set the Australian apart from her peers. 

“I love her game style,” Oganesian said. “I love her forehand and all the slices she hits from her backhand. I think she’s a very talented player.” 

bkoch@providencejournal.com 

On X: @BillKoch25 

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Results of 2025 RIIL Girls Singles Tennis Championship Match at Slater Park