Daniela Chapa-Reyes/THE RIDER
The UTRGV Men’s Tennis Team has had a decent start to their fall season as it finished its first tournament on Sept. 14.
“The guys have shown up every day ready to work in hot, windy, humid conditions,” head coach Nathan Robinson said. “They’re always excited to be here.”
Robinson said the Jake Frederick Memorial Islander Open, hosted by Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi, was overall positive. During the tournament, juniors Santiago Serrano and Ivo Isqueiro earned wins after withdrawal from their opponents.
“Maybe not as many wins as we would’ve liked but, at the end of the day, that tournament doesn’t matter with what the team is trying to do,” Robinson said. “[I am] very happy with where we are and kind of where we are in our progression over the first six weeks.”
During their Spring 2025 season, the Vaqueros faced a difficult start, finding themselves 2-13. However, by the end of the season, the team was able to compete in its first conference championship since 1987.
Robinson said the bumpiness from the last semester came from a young team figuring itself out.
“I think, this year, that team that we saw over the last month, last year, is what we are going to see starting in January,” he said. “Even just out here in practice, how much me and [assistant coach Ekaterina Vorobeva] have to do as far as motivation and stuff like that is way less than what we had in the past because the guys already know what the expectations are.”
A new face on the team is freshman Luke Bishop, who said the first season with the team has been fun.
“[I look] forward to putting in hard work every day,” Bishop said. “All my teammates help push me; coach pushes me. We all come out here with the same goal.”
During the tournament in Corpus Christi, Bishop was defeated 6-4, 6-1. He said the first tournament was just to see where he was compared to everyone else.
“Being my first tournament in college, I take it as a good experience,” Bishop said. “Being able to take some of my weaknesses that were pointed out to me and be able to work on them in practice and get better everyday.”
Returning to the team this season is sophomore Loic Young who said he is happy to be back with the team and thinks the newcomers, Bishop and freshman Michael Chan, are a good addition to the team.
During the tournament, Young was defeated alongside Serrano in a doubles match 6-3 and was also defeated 6-2 during an extra match.
Young said one of the goals is to win conference.
“That is one of the main goals that we have, as well as finishing off with a positive record in the singles and doubles for myself and the whole team,” he said.
The Vaqueros’ next tournament is the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Texas Regional from Oct. 14 to 19, hosted by Texas A&M University in College Station.
