Riverview tennis player finds new ways to commit and excel

Antoine Sanchez cleared a single patch of perspiration off his head using a grey Riverview High T-shirt. That was it. Otherwise, he seemed no worse for wear, not even needing to catch his breath.

Sanchez, a member of the Riverview boys tennis team and a four-star player per the Tennis Recruiting Network, had just walked off the court after the Class 4A District 8 doubles title alongside partner Finn Anderson. The overhead sun was searing the necks of everyone in attendance, but Sanchez appeared unaffected. The win was — almost literally — no sweat.

The previous day, Sanchez had locked up the district singles title, defeating Seminole’s Justin Leslie in three sets. It marked an improvement from last season, when he was ousted in the final. The whole season has been an improvement, really: Sanchez has yet to lose.

Sanchez is so dedicated to the sport, he decided to take virtual classes from home for two years, in seventh and eighth grade, in order to hone his skills. He was missing so much school anyway, he said, traveling the country for tournaments. It made the most sense to take a typical school day out of the equation. It was a commitment to the sport he did not hold earlier in his childhood, when he split time between tennis and soccer.

During that time away from the hustle and bustle of traditional school, Sanchez’s game took off, he said. The biggest development was his feel for the game. He’s quick, and coupled with acute anticipation, he can get to balls others simply cannot. It makes up for an admitted lack of power. His net game is also a strength, he said. Sanchez’s drop volleys fall to Earth like snowflakes, light and graceful, and freeze opponents.

Eventually, Sanchez got tired of the solitude. He missed the social aspects of school and wanted to have the full high school experience, so he returned to the classroom at Riverview for ninth grade. The hard part was done. His game had blossomed. Even now, he sets up his schedule so he can leave school a few periods early, at 12:30 p.m., to go work on fitness training for an hour before hitting the court. He’ll keep practicing until about 5:15 p.m., sometimes even later.

Sanchez has worked hard the last few years not just because he loves the sport, but because he realized the benefits that could spring from strong performances.

“When you get older, you realize, ‘OK, I need to get a college scholarship,’” Sanchez said. “Then you realize how good you are and what you can do in the sport. I realized getting a scholarship was the smart way to go.”

His skills have indeed landed him a full ride. After taking visits to multiple NCAA Division I schools, including the University of Denver, Florida Atlantic University and the University of South Florida, Sanchez landed on Stetson University in DeLand. It’s a smaller school, which Sanchez liked. It felt “homey,” he said. Stetson tennis coach Christophe Noblet made him feel like he mattered. There, he will be more than just a number. He will have a chance to shine.

Sanchez stopped playing junior tournaments after he committed, instead focusing on satellite tournaments and Universal Tennis Rating events, which grade players from 0-16 based on their performance in each individual match. They are the hot trend in prep tennis, he said. The lack of junior tournaments played recently has hurt his star ranking slightly, but at this point, Sanchez does not care. He’s happy with where he is and where he is going. The only thing that’s left to do is take home a state title.