Q&A with the Barajas Family

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we are highlighting members of our community and sharing their unique perspectives on the importance of recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month, diversity in tennis, and a reflection on their personal tennis stories.

Meet the Barajas', a family of five from Lodi, Calif. who all share a special bond over tennis. Although parents Adam and Toni never played the sport themselves, Adam liked watching tennis and admired Gustavo "Guga" Kuerten, once known as the king of clay, and decided it would be the perfect sport to introduce to his three daughters Taylor, Macy, and Nikki. All three girls played tennis from a young age and went through the USTA Northern California junior pathway participating in tournaments and Junior Team Tennis (JTT), as well as being top players in high school. Sharing similar journeys, each daughter was successful in their own right and carved her own path.

Taylor, the eldest, went on to play college tennis at Holy Names University (HNU) and is currently the women’s tennis assistant coach for her alma mater. Macy was dominant in high school tennis, losing only a few matches throughout her career, and went on to start the university's first Tennis On Campus program in her first two years at Sonoma State. She then transferred to HNU, competed for two years, and now works at USTA Northern California on the same youth programs she grew up playing. And Nikki, the youngest, successfully followed in her older sisters' footsteps and also boasted an impressive high school career, playing in the No. 1 spot her senior year.

Throughout it all, tennis has been a common thread that has kept the Barajas' close, and the family shared their experiences and thoughts of playing tennis together and why diversity in tennis is important.

Q: How does it feel to be part of a tennis family, competing with your sisters? 

Taylor: Being part of a tennis family is competitive, fun, and memorable! There will be many ups and sometimes downs, but remembering that we are family and supporting each other is the best advice I would give. 

Macy: It was nice always having an automatic friend and hitting partner anywhere we went. We would always support and encourage each other because we all knew how it felt being out there by ourselves. All of our playing styles were very opposite to one another, but when we made the headlines in the local paper, it would often start with “The Barajas sisters…,” which was awesome since tennis wasn’t a very popular sport in Lodi. Sibling rivalry was present at times considering our age gaps aren’t too far apart, but no matter what, we knew we would always have each other when all was said and done. 

Nikki: It is cool that we can all bond over tennis. It’s one thing that we can always count on to bring us closer and have fun at the same time. Yes, things can get competitive but that is also the fun in it because in the end we are family and always motivate each other to get better in everything we do. I feel like each of us played a huge role in each other’s tennis journeys, whether it came to improving a serve or swing, or cheering the others on. 

Q: Switching gears, in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, why do you each think it’s important to have diverse representation within the tennis community?

Toni: In the past, tennis seemed like it was marketed more toward wealthier communities, but I think it’s important to help encourage diversity without being recognized for just the color of your skin.

Adam: I believe having diverse representation in the tennis community brings out the best in you in all aspects of one's self.

Taylor: Having a diverse representation within the tennis community is very important because each individual not only shows off their talent in tennis, but they are able to represent their own unique perspectives, creativity, and opportunities influenced by their own cultural background and roots. 

Macy: It's important to have a diverse representation in the community because younger generations look up to those they can relate to.

Q: Can you describe your experience in tennis as a Latinx individual?

Toni: I’m very proud of having three Mexican American daughters who were top players in a little city, where basically they were the only Hispanics on the team. My daughters were recognized by how good they played tennis and not by their nationality or who they knew.

Adam: Fun. I was excited and happy that our daughters embraced the sport.

Taylor: Being a Mexican American tennis player was pretty normal for me. When I was on the court, what mattered most was being focused and ready to compete. On the other hand, I can definitely say I am so happy that I was a part of a very diverse college tennis team at HNU, where we were all proud to show off our talent, represent our cultures, and compete as a team!

Macy: Growing up, I noticed there wasn’t a lot of Latinx representation while playing tennis, but I mainly focused on myself and my game. Modesto was the first time I was placed on an advanced all-girls JTT team that was of majority Hispanic descent.