He walks on to the court unfazed by his opponent on the other side of the net. The silence is menacing but he successfully calms his nerves and serves the ball. For sophomore Jonathan Alvarez, tennis is a calming sport that brings him peace of mind.

During his freshman year, he was asked by tennis coach Shannon Markley to play, and while his decision was based on a whim, he now very much enjoys playing tennis. He realizes he’s no Novak Djokovic, but he intends to improve over the next few years by setting a goal of being the best on the team and the best that he can be.

Alvarez said that tennis comes fairly natural to him and because of that he enjoys it. Another plus for him is that it fits perfectly into his schedule. He tends to do homework before and after practice, allowing him to maintain his grades and keep himself busy and out of trouble. “The biggest challenge for me was maintaining my schedule last year so it’s nice to not be so stressed this year,” he said.

While decisions are still being made on who will play what position, Alvarez says he enjoys playing singles more than doubles.

Unlike other students that idolize professional athletes, Alvarez looks up to one of his fellow teammates, senior Eric Gomez. Alvarez said he sees Gomez as a great player and would eventually like to be at his level.