Connor Cole has become the first ever Jesuit UIL Tennis Regional Champion in singles. Winning regionals and thus qualifying for state, Jesuit Tennis travelled to San Antonio in an attempt to be crowned best in Texas tennis.
Regionals
Heading into regionals, Connor was fired up excited to have a chance at the win it all.
Connor won 4 total matches, the hardest being the semifinals where he played the highest UTR ranking player from Plano Senior (‘universal tennis rating’ is the ranking system for tennis players internationally). Losing the first set in the semis, Connor recalls feeling dejected saying “I thought I was cooked.” However, Connor managed to being it back and win the match.
Connor then won the finals match 6-4 6-1 in a crucial match which secured him a place at the illustrious state tournament.
Following the tournament, Connor had this to say:
“It was very exciting to win that semi-finals round because I had to play the best ranked player there … It was a very close match but I gave it my all and was able to finish on top, win the finals, and go to state which I wasn’t able to do last year”
The State Tournament
At state, Connor unfortunately lost in the quarterfinals but he gained a valuable experience that will hopefully help him next year.
“Connor has exceeded my expectations this year. It takes a lot to get to the state tournament. He ended up 5th in the state of Texas in 6A singles which is unbelievable. He should be proud and I’m very proud of him.” – Coach Wainwright
Recap and Looking Forward
This has been a historic season for the Jesuit tennis team and all players are looking forward to breaking more records and setting more standards next year on and off the court.
Coach Wainwright expressed excitement and anticipation about the team next year:
“Next year’s team is going to be very strong. Connor now knows the stage of state. There are a lot of people around and watchings. There are colleges there as well. Having that experience as a junior really sets him up for next year”
Coach Civello also weighed in:
“It’s all coming full circle. [Success at Regionals] is a great testament to what Connor is all about and what he’s been about … his hard work and determination – he’s reaping that right now … he’s seeing that with his UTR score, the respect he is getting on an off the court, and if you were at state, you would have seen all the other tennis players and spectators come to watch Connor Cole play because they know he is a good player. Couldn’t be more Happy for him.”
About the team’s performance, fellow avid Jesuit Tennis enjoyers have some thoughts to share about the season and the future:
Ben Woodard, fellow tennis player on the Jesuit Tennis Team, had this to say:
“I am really excited to be able to play tennis next year and be one of the leaders on the team as a senior and hopefully we will do really well in the fall during the team season. That will prepare us well for the spring season.”
Dylan Blanton, another teammate said:
“I think we are going to have a really strong team next year. Hopefully we can perform well.”
Connor also said:
“Being the first person to win regionals means a lot and I hope that I can do even better next year and we can all keep improving as a team”
Stay tuned to The Roundup for more tennis related news and coverage!
