Whiz Kid’s Name and Age: Noah Farrell, 14
Whiz Kid’s School: Wilton High School
Whiz Kid’s Accomplishments: In addition to his overall success in the state tennis tournament, the up-and-coming Wilton tennis phenom also received recognition on the all-FCIAC team along with all-state recognition this past season.
"Those were pretty great," the star said.
Whiz Kid’s Key to Awesomeness:
Farrell has used his quickness on the court as a key to success in terms of keeping his opponent fighting hard until the end.
“It makes my opponent hit one more shot," said Farrell.
His drive and belief that he can win matches along with knowing that his opportunity to repeat as champion is not guaranteed along with the need and desire to do well on the court have also added to his early success at the varsity level.
“I just have to believe every match that I can win,” Farrell said.
Experience against Wilton Warriors upper-classmen has also been beneficial: “It’s good to hit against older and better players," he said.
“He’s (definitely risen) to a very high level at an early age,” Wilton boys tennis coach Andrew Lee said of the mature player.
Farrell is one of 14 players on the Warriors boys tennis roster.
“I just have a lot of experience to be mentally [able] to complete sets and the need to know that we [as a team] can win the match,” the young and talented tennis player said . Farrel said he has been playing the sport since the age of five-and-a-half.
The no. 1 seed easily put away opponents starting in the round of 64 over Bunnell’s Michael Dolph.
The Warrior’s win over East Lyme’s Joseph McCaffery’s 6-3,6-3 advanced Farrell into the quarterfinals in a retired match where No. 9 seeded Alexander Rieger of Hand lost the first nine games for a standstill 6-0, 3-0 overall final.
After successful advancement over Hand’s No. 4 seed Sam Cadwell, 6-2, 6-2, in semi-final play, Farrell made history as another freshman tennis player from the state of Connecticut earned championship status this time against Hand’s Scott Rubenstein – the No. 3 seed, 6-3,7-6, (7-4).
“It’s a dream come true,” the exceptional athlete said.
“It’s a good experience,” he said. “I kind of didn’t expect it to happen.”
Players from the top eight FCIAC teams qualify for a state tournament pool of 64 players who then either advance or are eliminated based on the results of each match.
Farrell improves his game in the offseason at Four Seasons with Ritush Venugopal while also hitting with his father Josh on the weekends at home, and competing in United States Tennis Association tournaments for constant improvement.
Lee says Farrell's goal should be to become the No. 1 boys tennis player in the FCIAC aside from being a premier athlete throughout Wilton in the years to come.
Staples' Danny Hirschberg - currently the top-ranked player in the state - is graduating, but Greenwich junior Tyler Kratky is returning. Kratky and Farrell could be one-two in the FCIAC next season.
