Menlo News September 06, 2025

Girls’ tennis takes fourth at Golden State Classic

Knights host 32-team tournament with the top teams in the state and powerful Punahou of Hawaii

The Menlo girls’ tennis team took fourth place in the Ninth Annual Golden State Classic, which featured 32 of the state’s best teams, and Punahou from Hawaii in a two-day, all-doubles tournament at seven schools.

Palos Verdes eventually won the tournament, defeating Punahou in the championship.

For Menlo, freshman Dora Amirkhany went 5-0, senior Elise Chen finished 4-1 always playing top seed. Junior Milla Bardony and sophomore Celena Gao each went 3-1 and freshman Leighton Bardony won all four of her matches. Senior Sulia Gayle and junior Emily Li each won a pair of matches.

After defeating Burlingame 5-0, Lynbrook 3-2 and Westlake 3-2 on Friday, the Knights (6-0) opened Saturday’s play in the semifinals against Palos Verdes and suffered their first loss 3-2.

The duos of junior Milla Bardony & Amirhkany and senior Gayle-freshman Leighton Bardony picked up wins against Palos Verdes. The Knights fell in the third-round match to Canyon Crest Academy 3-2 but not without a fight. Chen and Amirkhany picked up a doubles win as did sophomore Celena Gao and Milla Bardony. Two of the Knights matches went to a third set.

Menlo School girls’ tennis won a hard-fought match against Westlake-Thousand Oaks 3-2 in the third round Friday.Against Westlake of Thousand Oaks, Menlo led 2-1 after Chen and Li rolled to an 8-2 win. The match was tied at 1 before Menlo’s No.2 team Gao and Amirkhany won 8-4 then the duo ofGayle and Leighton Bardony clinched the win in a tiebreak 8-7 (2).

Complete results