Press Democrat boys tennis player of the year: Analy’s Jonathan Doughtie dominated on court

A rising junior from Analy has taken Sonoma County’s prep tennis scene by storm.

Jonathan Doughtie had one of the most remarkable seasons on the court in recent memory. Time and time again, he showed up and delivered.

He won the North Bay League singles tournament and advanced to the final of the North Coast Section Division 1 tournament.

For the ultrasuccessful season he had, Doughtie is The Press Democrat’s 2023 boys tennis player of the year.

“I didn’t expect to do as well as I did,” Doughtie admitted. “I mean, I got to play in the finals of NCS, and after falling on my back (in the NBL tournament), I feel like I did everything I could.”

Only a sophomore this past season, Doughtie didn’t lose a match the entire league season. Playing at the top singles spot for the Tigers, he faced the best competition from around the area.

He only dropped five total games in the league tournament, winning his first two matches 6-0, 6-0. He then beat Maria Carrillo’s Luke Negri 6-2, 6-2 in the semifinal, before beating Negri’s teammate, Chase Carter, 6-1, 6-0 in the final.

As for the NCS tournament, the NBL-Oak’s Player of the Year had to survive multiple tiebreaks in his opening matches before advancing to the final. Although he would finish as the runner-up, he is the first tennis player from Analy to earn an NCS pennant.

“I was nervous for the first couple of matches, but in the semifinals and final I wasn’t nervous at all,” Doughtie said. “I didn’t expect to get that far, so I was just playing.”

Doughtie will have two more years to potentially capture that NCS crown, but he says he doesn’t want to put too much pressure on himself.

“Obviously that would be it, to better my result, but I don’t want to set it as a goal and bring pressure onto myself,” Doughtie said.

You can reach Staff Writer Kienan O’Doherty at 415-887-8650 or kienan.odoherty@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @kodoherty22.