Leaving her mark: Senior Ximena Morales stands out on the court

BY MICAELA SULLIVAN

Multimedia Journalist

Ximena Morales, a senior Tarleton State University tennis player, has left a lasting impression on Tarleton’s tennis program since her freshman year.

Morales is originally from Guatemala City, Guatemala, where she began her tennis journey at five years old.

After years of competing in high-level tournaments for her country, she realized she wanted to continue playing tennis in college rather than give it up because of other commitments. She also saw it as an opportunity to play outside her home country.

Morales graduated from Colegio Interamericano in Guatemala City, where she ranked No. 405 in the ITF Junior rankings and was third in Guatemala’s U18 division. Her early career included international victories, such as winning the individual J5 Guatemala Tournament in 2021-22 and competing on championship teams at tournaments in Cancun, Santa Tecla and Santo Domingo.

Since coming to Tarleton, she has left a trail of accomplishments: three-time WAC Doubles Player of the Week, WAC Doubles Player of the Month (October 2023) and Academic All-WAC (2022-23).

While Morales has had a very successful career as a college athlete, there were some things she was not prepared for.

“I really wasn't prepared for how it works,” Morales said. “When you're playing juniors, it's basically like playing for yourself, and here it's for a team. You don't think just about yourself, you think about your whole team and fight for them, too.”

While Morales had a few ups and downs, her biggest struggle in her first two years at Tarleton was her wrist.

“It was bothering me while I was playing. I think it was really hard because it was during [the] season, so I really couldn't do much about it because then I would miss the whole season,” Morales said. “I think that was a big struggle because I would have to go and get on the court and play with the pain. But after all, I just saw my team, and it made me get through it.”

Head coach Elianne Douglas-Miron is a firsthand witness to Morales’ growth as a player and person.

“Ximena has been with me for three years now,” Douglas-Miron said. “When she came in, she had some international experience playing high-level tournaments, but the college tennis experience was new and that's something that she had to grow into and learn. We definitely had our bumps along the way. Now, she's a reliable senior. She brings a lot of energy, and overall, she has grown as a person and as a student-athlete, and so I am excited to see what she does this year.”

While Morales has certainly improved her on-court skills at Tarleton, her leadership skills have expanded alongside them.

“Ximena is an excellent doubles player. She leads the team in doubles, she’s a vocal leader and she leads by example. A lot of time on the courts, I can rely on her to bring energy to the team and to her teammates. Overall, her skills as a leader have grown and improved. She has taken a freshman under her belt, and she has really proven herself,” Douglas-Miron said.

Morales said her time at Tarleton has flown by, but she plans to continue to make the most of each moment she has left on the court.

“Time goes by really fast. I feel like I was a freshman yesterday,” Morales said. “Enjoy everything and really don't think, ‘I'll try harder next year.’ Try harder tomorrow. Always give your best today.”