Moved from #9 to #4 nationally. Won two gold medals. Lost the match I wanted most. A full, honest account of the year.
The Number That Matters
Ranking moved from #9 to #4. In isolation that's the headline. But rankings are a lagging indicator — they measure accumulated results from 12 months of competition. The number you see in December reflects a player who existed in January.
The player I am now is different. Which makes the #4 feel simultaneously earned and already outdated.
The Match I Wanted Most
Austin Open. Semi-final against Marcus Webb. I had beaten Webb in practice sets three times in the lead-up. I understood his patterns — third-ball tendencies, his two-handed backhand tell, the exact moment he'd try to speed up cross-court.
I lost 11-8, 11-6. I was in my head from point one. Everything I had prepared for became a filter I couldn't see past. The lesson: preparation without presence is just anxiety with a plan.
“The best match I played all year was the one where I forgot everything I knew and just played.”
ALEX RIVERA
Going Into 2025
Three things: better footwork, cleaner transitions, and being present when it counts. Everything else is already there.
