Xavier Prep freshman cruises to DEL boys' tennis singles title
For Axel Alverdin-Celis of Xavier College Prep, winning the Desert Empire League boys’ tennis singles championship in his freshman year wasn’t supposed to be this easy.
“For one, I had my coaches to help me out the entire time (including his brother Eli Vasquez who is also his head coach),” Alverdin-Celis said after a 6-0, 6-2 win over La Quinta’s James Allmon in just 59 minutes at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. “With my friends coming along to support me through my first year of high school, and my teammates and my coaches have always been so supportive of me.”
Alverdin-Celis’ singles victory not only gave him the DEL title but also sends him, along with Allmon, to CIF-Southern Section individual postseason play. The singles final was one of a slew of lopsided victories in both the singles and doubles semifinals and finals at the Tennis Garden on Wednesday. Temperatures reached the low 90s but were higher than that on the hardcourts outside of Stadium 1 at the facility.
In the doubles final, the Palm Desert team of seniors Dilan Kakar and David Kang rolled to a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Parker Cupina and Slade Hanes of La Quinta.
Alverdin-Celis reached the singles final Wednesday with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over G.J. Elias of Rancho Mirage, while Allmon defeated teammate Lucas Nettini 6-1, 6-3 in the other semifinal.
That set up the final match that quickly turned in favor of Alverdin-Celis. Breaking Allmon’s serve in the first game, Alverdin-Celis raced to a 6-0 first-set victory in just 19 minutes. Alverdin-Celis used both a powerful serve against Allmon, who at times had trouble getting Alverdin-Celis’ serves back over the net, and strong ground strokes to win points.
“(Allmon) was giving me short balls and my coaches were telling me to just take advantage of it while I can,” Alverdin-Celis said. “If they are short, it’s easy to get the winner off of them.”
The second set was more competitive, with Allmon winning the first game of the set and pushing Alverdin-Celis even in Alverdin-Celis’ service games. Allmon managed his one break of serve to trail 4-2, but Alverdin-Celis won the last two games to take the match.
“He brought up his game,” Alverdin-Celis said of Allmon’s play. “I feel like if he hadn’t had such a long semifinal, it would have been a greater match in the finals.”
In doubles, Kakar will now return to CIF-SS postseason play after reaching the postseason in his sophomore year when he won the DEL singles title.
“Our chemistry was on point today,” Kakar said of his teaming with Kang. “We were volleying well, serving well. I think serve came in big today.”
Kang, who will be going to CIF-SS play for the first time, said a positive attitude was important as well.
“We were really positive throughout,” Kang said. “And we were really supportive. I think that is a really big part of tennis, having a strong mentality.”
While Alverdin-Celis is going to postseason play for the first time as a freshman, Kakar and Kang were going to the postseason in their final chance as seniors.
“I’m super excited because David and I have been playing together for four years. Now we get to go potentially to a state title,” Kakar said.
“This is my first time in CIF, so I’m really excited,” Kang said. “Last year I placed third in singles, so I was one away from going to CIF. It will be really fun this year.”
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Xavier Prep freshman wins DEL singles title, Palm Desert duo wins doubles
