The UIL State tennis tournament is coming up on April 26th and April 27th  and here is what to expect from the players at state. 

Tennis players Ian Uraga and Naomi Katz both are advancing to state, representing Coronado, EPISD, and all of El Paso. 

“I am looking forward to competing against South Lake High School during the state. This should be an interesting tournament,”  Uraga said.

The team practices every day in school as well as outside of school to prepare to be serious competitors for the tournament. Both state qualifiers, Katz and Uraga have various years of experience and are putting in extra hours as they prepare to compete against tennis players all over the State.

“We practice every day in and out of the high school to prepare for this event. The more practice the better,” Uraga said.

Uraga successfully beat competitors in both district and regionals. At districts, Uraga competed against Coronado tennis player Sebastian Herrera and won. This win was responsible for advancing Uraga to regionals and moving him to place second overall at that tournament. 

“Sebastian Herrera was my main competitor at districts. He was a really good opponent, challenging me, and Im glad I went against him,”  Uraga said.

Pebble Hills High School and Montwood High School are also going to state; therefore, Uruga and Katz will have El Paso competitors. Playing with various students of all grade levels will be challenging for Katz and Uraga. However, success isn’t impossible considering Katz placed 2nd in the state in the 2021 UIL State Competition.

“Pebble Hills and Montwood High School have great players. It is important to play against people that you recognize locally because it keeps you grounded,” Katz said.

The state will last about two to three days because of the number of competitors, the limitedness of courts, and the duration of matches. Therefore, Uraga and Katz will have to push through and remain consistent throughout the prolonged period.

“I think with our practices, Naomi and I definitely have a shot at state because of our endurance,” Uraga said. 

The UIL State tournament is important because it shows off the best high school teams in Texas and it can also show the potential of these young athletes. The UIL state tournament will take place tomorrow Tuesday, April 26th in San Antonio, Texas .