From a young age, sports have always been a big part of who I am. I started with soccer in kindergarten, but somewhere in elementary school, I found myself hooked on baseball. Then came track—first in elementary, then middle school. But the sport that truly stuck, the one that kept calling me back, was tennis.

    I'm the youngest of three brothers, and like me, they both picked up tennis early on. So naturally, I followed in their footsteps, starting when I was eight. At first, I was placed in the lower-level group because of my age and lack of experience. But with that familiar sibling rivalry kicking in, I made it my mission to catch up—and eventually outplay—them.

    That drive led me through countless local tournaments, many of them hours away. Over time, I filled a shelf with trophies—physical proof that I was getting better. But as the years went on, my regular hitting partners moved on, and it became harder to keep the same passion alive.

    Even so, high school brought a new energy. Playing on a team with my brother was something special. During my first year, we shocked everyone with a string of upsets and made it all the way to the state championships. We lost early, but that run reminded me how much I still cared about the game.

    After my brothers left for college, I found myself training alone more and more. Wanting to keep improving, I made a big decision—with my parents’ support, I moved to a more competitive tennis facility. Training got tougher, my fitness ramped up, and I was clearly getting stronger. But it came with sacrifices: I gave up time with friends, clubs, and just being a regular high school kid.

    That commitment made me think about taking tennis even further—maybe even professionally. College recruiters weren’t exactly lining up, but when I made it to the state tournament, I thought I had a shot at getting noticed. I kept that hope alive right through the final matches of my high school career.

    But then COVID hit, and everything changed. Tournaments shut down, practices stopped, and the momentum I had built just evaporated. I was stuck at home, losing weight and motivation, not sure what came next.

    Eventually, I found a new direction. I enrolled at the University of Central Florida with a focus on technology—something I had grown to love through years of gaming and tinkering during tennis trips. At first, I leaned into Virtual Reality, but my path shifted toward Artificial Intelligence. Still, through it all, I kept telling myself that no matter what, I wasn’t done with tennis.

    UCF gave me a second chance at competitive tennis. I joined the club team and quickly found my place among other students who took both school and tennis seriously. We traveled all across Florida competing, and over time, I stepped into a leadership role. Junior year, I made the top roster, and we pushed all the way to nationals—finishing 12th in the country. It was a huge redemption arc for me, and a reminder of how far I’d come.

    In the big picture, tennis has shaped who I am. It taught me how to lead, how to handle setbacks, and how to stay grounded. I’m so thankful to my parents for supporting me, and for showing me what it means to treat people with kindness. But I also give credit to myself—for sticking with it through every low point and for turning those moments into fuel.

    The road hasn't always been smooth. Tennis—like life—throws curveballs. Sometimes you're on the wrong side of the scoreboard. But I’ve learned how to bounce back, stay motivated, and keep going, no matter what.

    We made it to nationals three times—each one unforgettable. Our second appearance, in Surprise, Arizona, felt like a personal redemption arc. After everything I’d gone through, finishing 12th in the country was proof to myself that I still had it. Then came our third nationals in Rome, Georgia. We placed 18th this time, and I played the deciding match—it all came down to one match point, and I couldn’t close it out. That loss hit hard. But it also taught me more than any win could. I learned how to lead through pressure, how to carry a team when it counts, and how to walk off the court proud of the fight I gave.