Four Desert Empire League tennis players dominate, advance to Round of 32 in CIF playoffs

Andrew L. John, Palm Springs Desert Sun
·1 min read
Nicolas Calixto chases after the ball at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, May 12, 2021. He will advance to this year's CIF Round of 32.
Nicolas Calixto chases after the ball at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, May 12, 2021. He will advance to this year's CIF Round of 32.

Nicolas Calixto of Palm Springs High School advanced to the CIF individual Round of 32 with a 6-3, 6-0 win Thursday at Andulka Park Tennis Center in Riverside. Calixto had won his first two matches in the draw without losing a single game.

Calixto, who was 30-2 in the Desert Empire League this season, will play next on Wednesday at Narrows Tennis Club in Whittier for a chance to reach the CIF quarterfinals later Wednesday, then the semifinals and championship rounds on Thursday.

The Palm Springs star is one of multiple DEL players who won Thursday. Eduardo Gonzalez of Palm Desert High, the top seed in his draw, won both of his matches without dropping a set, after receiving a first-round bye. He too will advance to play in the Round of 32 in Whittier.

Palm Desert’s Eduardo Gonzalez celebrates a point during the division one first-round playoff matches at Palm Desert High School in Palm Desert, Calif., Wednesday, May 4, 2022.
Palm Desert’s Eduardo Gonzalez celebrates a point during the division one first-round playoff matches at Palm Desert High School in Palm Desert, Calif., Wednesday, May 4, 2022.

In doubles, Palm Desert’s pair of Kenan Rizvanbegovic and Jake Presser won their two matches, also without losing a set. They are the lone DEL doubles pair to advance to the CIF Round of 32.

Aztec teammates Simon Frary and Tei Park Palm Desert High School came just shy of becoming the second, winning their first two matches before losing their third, to a doubles team from Claremont High.

Andrew John covers sports for The Desert Sun and the USA Today Network. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com and find him on Twitter at @Andrew_L_John.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: DEL tennis players dominate, advance to Round of 32 in CIF playoffs