Local high school tennis players have it made in the Coachella Valley, also known as “Tennis Paradise”.
In March, the Indian Wells Tennis Garden is home to the largest ATP World Tour and WTA combined two-week event in the world. One month later, local high school kids get to play on the same courts as the pro’s as the Indian Wells Tennis Garden is also home to the Desert Valley League boys’ tennis finals.
Palm Desert came into finals already crowned DVL champs as they finished 12-0 in league play under first year head coach Pius Mozia.
Palm Desert freshman Joshua Henderson took on Palm Springs junior Michael Cabacungang, who has yet to drop a match this season. Henderson put up a good fight but Cabacungang was just too good. The junior won 6-4, 6-3 to be named this year’s DVL Boys’ Tennis Singles Champion.
On the doubles side, it was Palm Desert against Palm Desert. Quinn Bush and Christian Rozpeski won 6-0, 6-1 to walk away as DVL Boys’ Tennis Doubles Champions. The dynamic duo say their almost life-long friendship is the secret to their success.
“We’ve known each other since we were like seven,” Aztec senior Quinn Bush explained. “I used to live in Seattle and I used to come down every summer, he’d be here, and we’d play.”
“We’re best friends,” Aztec junior Christian Rozpeski said. “We’ve been playing all of our lives, so we know our doubles game pretty well.”
