HighFIVE: Braylon Desquitado

Braylon Desquitado has the mindset and commitment for a successful future in tennis

When Braylon Desquitado was 8 years old, he was watching the Australian Open on TV when he declared “Daddy, I want to be on TV someday. Can you start training me for real?” Having started playing tennis at the age of 2 due to his parents love of the game, Braylon was already a regular on the courts, but this pivotal moment was the start of his true commitment to tennis.

Braylon’s dad, Denton, says “From that point on, the intensity and frequency of practice increased significantly. I took a part-time job at Life Time Tennis in Colorado Springs to provide a platform for Braylon to grow from. Over the past six years, we have spent many early mornings and late evenings honing his game.”

“I love the game itself and have much passion for it. I love the energy and adrenaline I get during tough competition and the feeling of winning and learning,” says Braylon. 

The dedication and desire that Braylon has is evident in his quick rise in the rankings. In his first year in 14s, Braylon currently stands No. 2 in Colorado, No. 2 in Intermountain, and No. 75 nationally. In addition to lots of ranking points, he’s accumulated quite a few airline miles in the past two years having played tournaments in California, Texas, Utah, Nevada, North Carolina, Illinois, and Florida – including the Easter Bowl, two national indoor tournaments, and the National Clay Courts, Braylon’s favorite tournament so far.

While Braylon has had great success in singles, including taking home the title at the ITA Great Pumpkin Sectional Championship in Las Vegas last November and the ITA Snowball Sectional Championship in Salt Lake City this past January, he’s also an accomplished doubles player, having won several national titles, most recently the Darling Memorial National Championship in Las Vegas earlier this month. 

“I like to play doubles slightly more than singles since you get to share your energy and excitement with your partner and there is less stress than in singles.”

Braylon’s energy is evident to those he competes with and against. Lucas Celechovsky, one of Braylon’s doubles partners, says, "Braylon and I are good friends on and off court. He is an amazing player and competitor. In tennis, it’s about motivating and pushing each other to reach new highs, and Braylon definitely does this.” 

While Braylon’s dad has been his primary coach, he does train at both Saddlebrook Tennis Academy and Inspiration Tennis Academy in Florida at certain times of the year to further his game. To allow for his training and competition schedule, Braylon is currently homeschooled but is looking forward to starting high school in the fall at Village High School in Colorado Springs. Already a 5-star recruit sponsored by Solinco and Babolat, Braylon says he hopes “to play tennis at a good Division 1 school and then play on the pro tour.”

While definitely a lofty goal, Braylon has the mindset and commitment for a successful future in tennis. For being only 13, he has a maturity that allows him to view tennis as more than just a sport. His dad says, “Tennis is important to Braylon, not just for the game, but for the life skills he is developing from his experiences, especially the social aspect and relationships that he is building. Plus, he loves getting to travel throughout the US and internationally.” 

Braylon is definitely a Colorado kid to keep an eye on. You can keep current on his tennis journey on Instagram at both @braylon_desquitado15 and @braystennis.

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