After the 5A state boys tennis tournament in October, Braylon Desquitado said he’d take a “quick break” before returning to the court to polish his game.

This isn’t an unusual statement following such a high-stakes competition. Emotions run high and players crave another piece of the action.

Well, Desquitado said “quick” and he meant that.

Following his freshman season, where Desquitado finished as runner-up at the state tournament in Denver, Pine Creek’s No. 1 singles player had a week off before he competed in Las Vegas.

“He said, ‘My season is never over. I’m going to jump right back into it and continue with the tournaments,’” Pine Creek coach Jason Warkentine said. “As a coach, it’s exciting to see that and you’ve also built that bond with the kid and you’re excited to see him succeed.”

Desquitado, this season’s Boys Tennis Peak Performer of the Year, ended the season 20-1 and won 19 of his 20 matches in straight sets.

The Eagles freshman also started his career with nine consecutive matches in which he allowed two or fewer games to his opponents.

“My goal next year is to win state,” Desquitado said. “I don’t think anything went wrong this season. I had a good time and loved every part of it. But next season I’m hoping to help improve my entire team and help a lot of us get to state and win. I’m putting in work during the high school offseason.”

To reiterate, Desquitado said, “High school offseason.” He understands the grind required to accomplish his goals and refuses to lose that edge during the winter.

The Eagles’ freshman recently took his talents to South Beach where Desquitado competed in the Junior Orange Bowl, one of the toughest tournaments in the country.

Per the Junior Orange Bowl’s website, the tournament has more than 800 ranked players competing from 76 countries and has previously featured the likes of Andy Murray, Coco Gauff, Roger Federer and more.

In U14 singles, Desquitado lost in the third round 6-2, 6-2 to Dongjae Kim, but remains focused on the process, not the outcome.

After all, the goal is to return to the state title round.

“The fact that he’s continuing to improve, his rankings shows that he’s put in the work,” Warkentine said. “I have high expectations for him and the team next year. It’s going to be fun.”

In his 5A state finals match against Regis Jesuit’s Alec Rodriguez-Field, Desquitado played just his second three-set match of the season.

While he didn’t buckle under the pressure, the grind from a lengthy match exhausted his body. Desquitado’s leg cramped late in the match and he said it affected his play the remainder of the contest.

To combat another episode of cramps, Desquitado said he’s also training at an academy in Wesley Chapel, Fla., called Saddlebrook Tennis Resort, where his dad previously trained. The Eagles star works out at the resort daily from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

“I’m putting in a lot of work in fitness,” Desquitado said. “A lot of running and sprinting. They put a lot of emphasis on physical fitness. I’m building that up and I’ve gotten a lot stronger on the court with running side-to-side. So my stamina and cardio have built up.”

From the loaded training schedule to his entry in the Junior Orange Bowl, Warkentine said he isn’t shocked by Desquitado’s unwavering focus.

“I’m not surprised at all that he’s playing in that tournament,” Warkentine said. “He’s in a tournament almost every weekend. … He’s working on special parts of his game and he’s working with his dad and doing some amazing stuff. At his age to have that maturity level, I’ve never seen anything like that.”

Desquitado said he’ll continue his relentless approach until next season. Desquitado expects it to bolster his game and hopes he can also assist with his teammates’ capabilities on the court.

“We’re still on that grind,” Desquitado said. “I found time to work on all my strokes, mental skills and all my skills on the court. … I hope next year we can improve and I can help my teammates improve quite a bit.”