Losing Isn’t in Their DNA: Pierce and Connor Shaya

Connor Shaya (left) and Pierce Shaya show off the Bloomfield Hills High School boys tennis team’s Division 1 state championship plaque and signs announcing their own accomplishments at the state tournament.

By Steve Stein

They never lose. Never.

The Shaya brothers — Pierce and Connor — each won a flight championship at the Division 1 boys tennis state tournament this fall in Midland to maintain their perfect record at the sport’s biggest stage.

They also helped lead No. 1-ranked Bloomfield Hills High School to its second straight team state title after being the runner-up in 2021.

Pierce, a junior, has been in the Division 1 state tournament three times and won his flight each time. Connor, a sophomore, has played in two Division 1 state tournaments and been a flight champion twice.

This season, Pierce won the No. 2 singles state title. He played in four matches at the state tournament and won in straight sets in all of them.

Connor played No. 3 singles. He also swept four state tournament opponents in straight sets.

The resumes of these four-star, nationally ranked college recruits don’t end there.

The brothers have not lost a singles match in high school competition.

Pierce’s current record is 47-0. He’s 72-1 overall in his high school career, with his only loss coming in 2022, when he was 25-1 in doubles.

He was part of the state champion No. 1 doubles team in 2022. He won the No. 3 singles state title in 2021.

Connor, a sophomore, is 53-0 in high school singles matches. He won the state title at No. 4 singles last year.

How have the boys racked up such gaudy statistics?

A good source is their uncle Chris Shaya, director of tennis at Bloomfield Tennis & Fitness and a former two-year captain of the University of Michigan tennis team.

Chris Shaya has worked with the brothers as a private tennis instructor for several years.

“We’ve worked on being aggressive without being reckless,” he said. “And they use that training. They stick to the system.”

Sticking with the system is important, Chris Shaya said, because of the nature of tennis and how it is scored. A match can go south very quickly.

“With each game, the scoring restarts,” Chris Shaya said. “And you’re not protected by a clock if you’re leading a match. You have to earn each match victory.”

Chris Shaya said he attended the state tournament in Midland to support the Shaya brothers. And watch them win state titles.

“There was no doubt in my mind, no question, that the guys would win state championships in their flights,” he said. “Their opponents needed them to not be the best versions of themselves. That didn’t happen.”

Pierce Shaya, 16, credits intense training for his unblemished high school singles record.

“I also play tournaments outside of high school against the nation’s top players, so I know how to get into that mode when I’m playing the high school season,” he said.

His brother also credits his training for his perfect high school singles record.

“I work and train very hard every day,” Connor said. “I work with my brother, my dad and my uncle.”

Unlike the high-level tournaments the brothers compete in outside of school, high school tennis is both a team and individual sport. Pierce and Connor each enjoy the team aspect of it.

“Tennis tends to be a very lonely sport most of the time,” Pierce said. “So, to be training and competing as a team adds some excitement to it.”

Connor said, “I love to compete and cheer for my team. Everybody on our team is very close. It’s fun to compete with my friends.”

However, the brothers prefer playing singles over doubles.

“I trust my singles game more than anyone else,” Pierce said. “I don’t like having to depend on someone else to get the job done.”

Connor said he feels he’s better at singles than doubles.

“I have a lot of experience playing singles, so I know what to do in pressure situations,” he said.

The boys do have interests outside of tennis.

“I like to read, play golf, fish, and watch football,” Pierce said.

Connor, 15, said he likes to hang out with his friends and watch other sports.

The Shaya brothers’ parents are Donovan and Amy Shaya. They have an older sister Grace Shaya, 19.