HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Former University of Tampa tennis standout Raquel Amaro only played one season as a graduate transfer from East Tennessee State. Still, she quickly became one of the most accomplished players in program history.
Amaro went 13-5 last season and was ranked as high as 13th in the country. She also became the first player in school history to earn first-team, all-Sunshine State Conference honors.
Now, she's taking her game to the next level. Amaro will represent her home country of Venezuela in the Billie Jean King Cup. It's the biggest annual women's competition in any sport.
"I’m pretty excited. It’s an honor, always, to represent my country," Amaro said via video chat. "This is a tournament I always dreamed to play. I always wanted to play as a professional. I expect a high level, so I’m going to go for it and give it all."
UT head coach Al DuFaux knows Raquel has what it takes to play against pros on an international level.
"She’s a very mature player. Raquel is a complete package," he said while describing Amaro's game. "She knows how to compete. She doesn’t get flustered. She goes out there and really works the game."
Amaro will be plenty busy off the court, as well. She hopes to compete in the Miss Venezuela Pageant, where a win would instantly make her one of the most influential figures in her home country.
"For us, it’s a big thing. I also want to be a voice for my country," she explained. "Because Venezuela needs it, how the country is right now. I want to help a lot of people."
She isn't stopping there. Raquel wants to start a foundation with her mother and her youth tennis coach to give kids in Venezuela a chance to use athletics for success.
"I want to help kids that don’t have the opportunity to go to college and play a sport like I did. So, I really want to do that," Amaro added. "The foundation will be for track and field. It’s the easiest and cheapest to help kids."
Mix in getting her master's degree in marketing makes for one busy schedule. But Raquel says she can't wait to tackle the future.
"It's organizing and being disciplined," Amaro said with a grin as she described her potentially hectic calendar. "That’s the base for everything. Yeah, I want to do so many things. And I’m excited for everything that comes after my school. Yeah, I’m so excited for what comes later. "
"She’s what every coach is looking for," DuFaux added. "She’s got the academics. She’s got the athletics, the leadership skills. The communication, the time management. She has it all."
Amaro plans on returning to UT to finish her master's and be a graduate assistant coach. That's music to DuFaux's ears.
"She has great grades. She’s mature. She’s a leader on the team. You couldn’t ask for a better person to help you lead the team."
Raquel and Team Venezuela open group play at the Billie Jean King Cup on July 24th in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
