Yannik Alvarez represents Puerto Rico, where his father played on the Davis Cup team

After being eliminated from main-draw doubles, Alvarez narrowed his focus to competing in the US Open Junior Championships. He won his first-round match in Boys’ singles before losing to Russia’s Kirill Filaretov 6-1, 6-4. Alvarez teamed with Ryan Cozad in Boys’ doubles and reached the quarterfinals, losing to Safir Azam and Damir Zhalgasbay 6-3, 6-7(14), 10-6.

Alvarez lives in Cumming, Ga., a suburban city north of Atlanta. Cozad is from the neighboring city of Alpharetta.

Alvarez tried to soak up every moment he could spend around the professionals at the US Open. 

“Just seeing all their warm-ups and how they treat their routines–everything's just so much different,” he said. “The site, the facilities–everything's just way better than the juniors, honestly. It was incredible. I can't even describe it.”

Alvarez is coached by his father, Gilberto “Gilly” Alvarez, who runs GA Tennis Academy in Cumming. Seeing his son make his US Open professional debut in doubles was a point of pride for the elder Alvarez. 

“It’s what every parent or coach dreams of: to watch their own kid or student be able to experience that atmosphere,” Gilly said. “He was around the best players in the world and had his own locker room. After all the work he’s put in, it was a great opportunity for him to be out there and competing at that level.”

Gilly was a member of the Puerto Rico Davis Cup team for 11 years and won multiple national championships in singles and doubles. Yannik has followed in his father’s footsteps by representing his father’s island, and he felt the support throughout his stay at the US Open.

“New York has a great population of Puerto Ricans living there, so that was another great experience for him to have at such a young age,” Gilly said. “Puerto Rico and other Puerto Rican people in the community are really behind him, and that's very special for him. Every time he steps on the court, he’s aware of all the Hispanic people and all the Puerto Ricans that are behind the scenes supporting him.”