NATHANIEL MATA | SPECIAL TO THE MONITOR
Eight boys singles players are left competing in Class 5A tennis, and you’d be hard-pressed to find one calmer than Sharyland Pioneer’s Joaquin Delgado.
Maybe the 17-year-old has mastered his nerves, but his preparedness seems to be what has allowed him to stay cool and collected.
Recently, he’s trained on serves, returning big serves, handling quicker and stronger players, and slicing his shots.
None of that training can replace the experience of being there in person, so it helps that Delgado is returning to the state tournament for a second consecutive season today in College Station. Last year, he was swept in the championship match by Everman’s Angel Palacios.
“I feel so much better than last year,” Delgado said. “Last year, I prepared very well, too. This year, I actually have experience at state, so I know what to expect.”
Delgado’s 2016 and 2017 postseason runs share many parallels. Both started with an emphatic District 31-5A championship followed by a regional final defeat. Both also culminated in a chance to compete for statewide glory.
His decision-making on the court, combined with his speed and strength, put him in the top tier of tennis talent in the region and state. Pioneer coach Rick Rivera says Delgado is quicker and stronger than during his state runner-up season last year. He even added a few inches of height.
In the days leading up to the state competition, Delgado, a recent Abilene Christian signee, said he had a singular mission.
“I’m not going to go for anything less than a gold medal,” Delgado said.
What will it take for him to make that dream a reality? For the second year in a row, Delgado will enter as a regional runner-up. That puts him in an opening-round matchup against a regional champion. He’ll get started against Frisco Lone Star’s Abhishek Dayal in his first match.
At district, despite the victory, Delgado felt he didn’t play his best matches. During regionals, he battled his opponents as well as a stomach virus that had him less than 100 percent. This time around, he’s feeling healthy and ready to play his best tennis — something he’ll need to do to have a shot against exceptional talent.
“In state, there are no easy matches,” Delgado said. “From the beginning, the first round is going to be very tough. I’m going to have to fight and get off to a good start in each match.”
Rivera has no worries about Delgado being overmatched. He doesn’t see much difference physically between Delgado and his opponents.
“He’s played, even since he was a small kid, pretty much the best competition in Texas growing up,” Rivera said. “As a coach, my job is to push him extremely hard, especially these past few years, and I’ve done that. And at this point, like he said, it’s mental.”
Delgado spent the four weeks since the regional tournament training for his last competition as a Diamondback. Delgado is coached by Rivera as well as Steven Guarneri, who is going to state as an alternate. The two are giving him different scenarios and even various styles of play that he might face in College Station.
Guarneri played in doubles at state a year ago, so he’s well aware of how strong the remaining players are.
“That’s in my head. … It’s not just to play, it’s to prepare Joaquin for the matches he needs to play and how well he needs to play,” Guarneri said. “It’s all about his work ethic. He’s just exceptional. He never stops. He’s always trying to get better no matter the situation. He’s a workhorse.”