INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – In the wake of sophomore Ross Hochberg’s stunning Nevada 3A Northern League Regional tennis championship win, Incline High School’s tennis program isn’t resting on its laurels. 

Instead, the team is doubling down on development, with a clear mission that head coach John Klein describes with competitive fire. 

“Our focus this post season is turning the strokes that are our liabilities into weapons,” Klein said of the work he and assistant coach Constance Marlin have implemented. 

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This aggressive approach to improvement comes at a pivotal moment for a program that has exploded from five players three years ago to 42 players today. The transformation hasn’t gone unnoticed, with Klein proudly crediting his early pioneers for “making tennis cool again at Incline High.” 

The cultural shift is evident in the program’s recent success, highlighted by Hochberg’s impressive run to the regional title. Entering the tournament as the third seed with a 21-3 regular season record, Hochberg dominated his early matches before facing his greatest challenge in the finals. 

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“To be clear, Hochberg was not expected to win,” Klein said. “In the finals, Hochberg met the number one seed, a boy he had never beat, a boy he had lost to numerous times, a boy he has never even taken a set off of. And yet Hochberg managed to win that day in straight sets!” 

That victory, sealed with a 7-5, 6-2 score, exemplifies the program’s competitive spirit.

It was snowing the night before his first regional match. 

“Hochberg was out, right after school, playing practice matches and then, until dark, hitting on the ball machine,” Klein recalls. 

This commitment to improvement has become contagious, Klein said. The team’s post-season schedule reflects their ambitious mindset. 

“The team will continue to practice and will practice until either winter sports practice starts or there is snow on the ground!” Klein said. 

Two seasons ago, Incline couldn’t field a complete team, forcing them to default every match. 

“The first year I had only 5 players between both the boys’ and girls’ teams,” Klein said of his first-year coaching Incline tennis three years ago. “A minimum of 18 players is required to compete.” 

The following year saw modest growth to 11 players, but still fell short of competitive requirements. 

This year’s explosion to 42 players marks a turning point, with only one senior among them. 

The boys’ team has already exceeded expectations, finishing fourth in the league and making the playoffs, missing third place by just two individual matches, Klein said. 

Hochberg carried his momentum into the state tournament, advancing to the semifinals with a strong 6-4, 6-0 quarterfinal victory over his Boulder City opponent. 

Hochberg’s run ended in the semifinals against a talented player from the Adelson School in Las Vegas. 

For Klein, tennis represents more than just athletic competition, it’s a laboratory for character development. 

“It is the only un-officiated sport where the players call their opponents fouls, talk about a character check!” Klein said. “Is the ball in or out? Does it depend on the score? … does it depend on how that player perceives his opponent is calling his shots?” 

This emphasis on integrity, combined with the program’s focus on continuous improvement, has created a winning culture that extends beyond match results, Klein said. 

The boys’ team’s fourth-place finish and playoff berth were particularly impressive given the squad’s youth. 

“Our teams had a lot of freshmen and only one senior, and the one we had was a new player to the sport,” Klein said. 

Looking ahead, the program’s foundation appears rock solid, Klein said. With 41 of 42 players returning next year, including regional champion Hochberg. 

“Our future looks good,” Klein said.