Prep Tennis: Danville, Casey singles players tune up for regional rematch

Mey Mey Kong and Taylor Monday have played two regular-season matches to a virtual draw. It is a tie that will not go unbroken.
Danville’s Kong and Casey County’s Monday will sqaure off Saturday in the first round of the girls 12th Region Tournament, just four days after Kong avenged an earlier loss by winning the rematch.
The Danville junior won a 6-4, 6-2 decision Tuesday in the final tuneup for both the Admirals and Rebels before the regional, and she said it gave her something to feel good about going into the weekend.
But not too good.
“(Monday) said today was her bad day, so I don’t know if it’s really her bad day or she was just saying,” Kong said with a smile.
The facts are these: Monday defeated Kong 8-6 on April 23 at Casey, and Kong turned the tables in Tuesday’s rematch at Danville. And regardless of how well Monday did or did not play in their rematch, Kong said she knows her own game was better.
“(I improved) my forehand and being consistent. She was a good player, too, and she was really consistent, and I just tried my hardest,” Kong said.
While Kong won this match, Casey’s players won enough to claim a 6-3 victory.
The Rebels were led by top singles seed Tylyn Leigh, who is also the No. 1 seed in the regional. Leigh defeated Danville’s Jodi Gay 6-2, 6-2 in a match that she said was closer than their first meeting, which she won 6-1, 6-2.
“It wasn’t probably the best I’ve played, but she did a good job,” Leigh said.
Danville was playing shorthanded, so two singles players and one doubles team each played two matches, but Kong said the Admirals fared better than in their first match against Casey, which they lost 9-0.
“We got better since the last time we played them,” she said.