Tennis preview: Opportunity in Dubai means new Gulliver coach
Gone to Dubai.
That’s the most succinct description regarding the life of Fernando Mateu, who in October left his job as Gulliver boys’ tennis coach to begin a new life in the United Arab Emirates.
More than 7,800 miles from Miami, Mateu is now the tennis director at Pirates Racquet Academy, where he’s in charge of more than 1,600 kids.
“I never thought at my age that I would have an opportunity like this,” said Mateu, who is 57 and was hired by the program’s founder, Candy Fanucci. “Gulliver will always be in my heart.
“Both of my kids graduated from there, and I won a state title [at Gulliver in 2019]. That team was an underdog. Nobody believed in us. But I changed the mentality in my first year at the school, and we took [the title].”
Mateu said his latest opportunity emerged when he was vacationing in Dubai with his son, Ignacio, an 18-year-old student at New York University. Someone from Dubai saw Mateu giving his son a tennis lesson, and the life-changing offer soon occurred.
“I’ve always trusted my gut,” Mateu said. “That’s what I did when I left wealth management to coach tennis, and that’s what I’m doing now.”
Mateu has been replaced at Gulliver by John Bradley, who at age 27 already has five years of head-coaching experience — one at Mater Lakes and four at Archbishop McCarthy.
Bradley, a Miami native, has a fascinating story in his own right. His father is Scottish, and his mother is Cuban.
Bradley played high school tennis at McCarthy, but he became burned out, he said, and turned down some Division II scholarship offers.
Instead, he played rugby — a game he learned from his father — at Florida
Atlantic University.
After college, tennis beckoned again, and now he inherits a team led by junior Charles Levi. The other standouts are freshman Tomas Orrego, senior Timeo Milon and sophomore Maximo Lopina.
“Gulliver has a great tennis pedigree,” Bradley said. “The team is young, but the kids want to get better. They have a championship mentality.”
MORE BOYS’ OUTLOOKS
Pine Crest is led by five-star freshman
Koray Abramson, a lefty who was the top player in Massachusetts before moving to Broward this past fall. Pine Crest also has three other standouts: freshman Adrian Baega-Torres and juniors Christian Yeagley and Ashwin Chawla.
Doral Academy is led by senior Ezequiel De La Plaza, a Holy Cross recruit. He went 10-2 last season reaching the state quarterfinals. He also went 8-2 in doubles, reaching the state semifinals. As a team, Doral went 9-4, losing to Coral Gables in the regional semifinals.
True North is led by senior Brennon Chow, who has committed to the Air Force. Sophomores Gabriel Valdez, Caleb Chow, Krishang Badwal and Zander Guevara are other standouts.
North Broward Prep is led by Jacob Hartman, who has signed to play Division III tennis at Bentley College next year.
NBP went 11-7 last season, losing in the regional semifinals.
Coral Gables is led by senior Henry Stoller and sophomore Kira Acevedo.
Stoller won a state title in doubles last year.
Riviera Prep is led by sixth-graders Alex Arias and Victor Escobedo and freshmen twins Zach and Jacob Shofel.
Palmer Trinity is led by sophomore Matthew Sosler, freshman Matias Lara, sophomore Manuel Anel and freshman Lorenzo Vergara.
American Heritage is led by junior Daniel Naylor, junior Greg Chapman and senior Danila Dembouski.
St. Thomas Aquinas will be led by senior Blake Edwards and junior Lucca Freitos.
Krop is led by senior Evan Seder, sophomore Tafari Hanson and junior Liam Yuzefovich.
Varela is led by senior Ramses Quintero and sophomore Ian Cabrera.
GIRLS’ OUTLOOKS
Gulliver Prep, the reigning state champion in Class 2A, returns senior
Valentina Rossi, freshman Mika Ringel and sophomore Maya Quintero. Newcomers include freshman Hanna Matuk.
Riviera Prep is led by sophomore
Sasha Kilgour, a three-time first-team All-Dade player. Her sister, Leyla Kilgour, went a combined 28-2 last year in singles and doubles. Junior Maria De La O is on pace to play college tennis.
Doral Academy is led by eighthgraders Payton Seidle-Lubowitz, who made the state finals in doubles last year, and Stefany Zamora. Last year, Doral finished 11-2, losing to Palmetto in the regional finals.
Pine Crest is led by eighth-grader Gia Cacenco, sophomore Brynn Edwards, senior Maya Heyman and junior Katrin GuliaJanovskaia. Cacenco, a team leader despite her youth, was a regional finalist last year.
Lourdes is led by senior Mia Perez and freshman Regina Arrangoiz. Perez is Lourdes’ top player for the fourth straight year, and she’s determined to win a state title.
Carrollton is led by sophomore Jazel Mangones, who was ranked 13th in the nation at 14-and-under. She is now 43rd the nation at 16-U.
American Heritage is led by juniors Angela Dunn and Tina Liu.
True North is led by junior Daniella Chica, who is ranked 13th in Florida and 86th nationally.
St. Thomas Aquinas will be led by sophomore Chloe Fouhety and junior Sophie Pacheco.
Krop is led by senior Valeria Bermudez and junior Talia Kurlansski.
Varela is led by senior Valeria Rodriguez and sophomore Mariella Castro.
North Broward Prep is led by juniors Sasha Stein and Morgan Honig.
Palmer Trinity is led by senior Melina Ruiz. in