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TheLotto Elite Hot 100 lists are published each month, and the December Hot 100 lists feature the 100 boys and girls who most improved their rankings during the month of November. You can find out more about the Lotto Elite Hot 100 - and how the lists are calculated - by reading here.

The latest lists, published today, are available here:

• Boys' Hot 100
• Girls' Hot 100

We talked to some of the top performers:

Anthony Shalakov (West Chester, Ohio)

Anthony Shalakov was a five-star recruit when a mishap occurred in early 2019.

The 6-foot-1 right-hander, ranked No. 51 at the time, was playing a USTA Level 1 tournament when he fell during his semifinals match. He was diagnosed as having an incomplete fracture in the lower back, and he couldn’t play tennis for three months. Shalakov worked hard to regain his composure and is now on the right path to full recovery.

Three-Star Junior Anthony Shalakov
© Contributed Photo

In the month of November, his Tennis Recruiting Network ranking rose from 229^th to No. 169, along with producing a 10-2 record. Shalakov reached the round of 16 at the L4 Open in Boys 18s at Louisville, Kentucky, and won a consolation title. At the L4 Closed event in Indianapolis. Shalakov fought his way to the main draw and ended up winning the consolation championship.

“After my return to tennis, I realized I wasn’t performing as well as I did before my injury. For the last two years I was struggling to gain my confidence and play tennis like I used to,” Shalakov said. “It wasn’t until the middle of the year I felt like I was coming back. Now, I have performed extremely well in my recent tournaments, taking down some top players.

“It has been a long journey for me, filled with many highs and lows. But now, I feel that I am stronger and better than ever. That is definitely what distinguishes me from other players.”

The 11^th-grader credits his coaches and trainer for his comeback effort. Lynn McNally of the Club at Harper’s Point and Rey Puentes of Queen City Racquet Club, both located in Cincinnati, are his personal coaches. His trainer, Willy Ehling, has helped Shalakov regain his strength and endurance through diligent workouts over the past year.

He also works out with touring pros John and Caty McNally of Cincinnati.

“I am working on lowering the amount of errors I create,” Shalakov said. “John and Caty have helped me increase my ability to maintain control and stay in longer points.”

Pavel and Svetlana Shalakov, who are Russian immigrants, moved to Philadelphia, where their son was born.

“This is a logical result of our son’s endless hours of training and hard work toward mastering his playing style,” Shalakov’s parents said of his recent success. “His dedication to tennis, discipline, and a cool and rational mindset during his tennis matches distinguishes him from other players. We feel strongly that Anthony has strong leadership skills and tennis is exactly the sport that gives him the opportunity to perform individually to show who he is.”

Shalakov is an honor student at Lakota West High School, located in West Chester, and has received accolades throughout his scholastic career. He participates in the school’s Student-Athlete Advisory Board, HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) and Peer Counseling. The latter organization volunteers for community service, which includes raking leaves for homeowners who are physically incapable of completing the task.

College is in Shalakov’s thoughts, but he is currently focused on improving his game. His goal, however, is to play at an NCAA Division I school.

“Tennis is my hobby, passion and joy,” Shalakov said. “My game has a combination of both power and endurance. I like to stroke first and fast, and try to come to the net when I feel like I have pushed my player into a position where they can’t do much with the ball I hit them. I am able to create pressure on my opponents and win some difficult matches against high-level players.”