Nevaeh Luv Robles takes home DVL singles title after finishing second last year

Nevaeh Luv Robles achieved her long-standing goal of winning the Desert Valley League individual singles title during her time at Coachella Valley High School. Despite falling short in the finals last year, Robles, now a senior, emerged victorious on Thursday afternoon. She not only claimed the singles crown but also earned the prestigious MVP title at the girls’ tennis individual finals, held at Palm Valley Country Club.

Robles expressed her elation, stating, “It feels amazing. It’s a comeback from last year because I placed second. So, winning now feels incredible.”

In the singles final, Robles triumphed over Sofia Torres from Indio in two sets, winning each set 6-2. This victory was particularly sweet for Robles, who had been eagerly anticipating this moment for a long time.

In her journey towards redemption, Robles defeated her teammate Kamila Cortez in the semifinals. Cortez had defeated Robles in the finals last year, making the victory even more satisfying.

Reflecting on her success, Robles shared, “Honestly, I had to improve and change everything. From serves to forehands, top spin to backhands, and slicing, it required immense discipline. But the aspect I focused on the most was my mental game.”

She further explained, “Mentally, tennis is an incredibly challenging sport. If it gets to you, you lose momentum and may even give up. That’s why one of the biggest things is not giving up.”

The tennis coach at Coachella Valley, Tho Duong, couldn’t contain his joy at witnessing Robles’ victorious journey. He exclaimed, “It’s amazing! Nevaeh has been dedicated to achieving this throughout her time here at Coachella Valley. She has consistently been the MVP for the past three seasons and finally accomplished her goal in her senior year.”

In the doubles final, the duo of Mia Castillo and Lorena Parra-Hernandez from Indio defeated Addy Simmons and Marley Kyle from Twentynine Palms. This is the second consecutive year that Castillo and Parra-Hernandez have been crowned DVL champions, as they remained undefeated throughout the season. They secured a swift victory by winning the first set 6-2 and the second set 6-0.

An exhausted Castillo expressed her feelings, stating, “This feels really good. It’s a bittersweet ending to our senior year and our last season playing tennis at Indio. While it feels good, it’s also sad because we won’t be back next year.”

Indio’s tennis coach, Mike Nolasco, shared the same mix of emotions for his athletes. He said, “I’m incredibly happy for them to win for the second time. Their departure will be a significant loss for us since it’s their final year here. However, they’ve grown so much and have played a vital role in our program. We’re extremely grateful that they chose tennis here.”

This year, the Rajahs have set ambitious goals for the postseason. They aim to break their two-year streak of being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.

Parra-Hernandez expressed confidence in their upcoming postseason journey, saying, “I believe we will go further than we did last year. Our goal and hope

Reference