April 26, 2007

The Ledger

It wasn't supposed to be this easy.

Sure, from the high school district tennis tournament on, Monica Arguello kept insisting that the opponent she had just dominated in a lopsided victory was a tough opponent.

She kept insisting that her next opponent was a strong player who could beat her.

She was being nice.

The George Jenkins senior steamrolled her way through the state tournament to win a second consecutive state title and cap a spectacular high school career.

Even after defeating Tallahassee Leon's Holly Johnson in straight sets Wednesday, Arguello maintained that it wasn't an easy match.

"I was challenged," she said. "Maybe it didn't seem like it was. I think it was a hard match. This one was more tennis. The last one was more mental. When you play mentally more, it's probably harder."

Arguello was referring to last year's victory over Celebration's Julia Huschke that lasted more than four hours. The match Wednesday was over so fast it seemed like she was just warming up.

Arguello's championship run this year was fueled by her incredible skill. Perhaps her great physical strength is her ability to use a variety of shots to always control the rhythm of a match and adjust her game to take advantage of her opponents' weaknesses.

But this year's run also was another triumph of her overall strength - the mental game. If ever there was a case of an athlete staying focused on the challenge of the moment, this was it.

"I really wanted to win the state title, but I didn't picture it yet," she said. "I went step by step - this match, next match. I didn't set a long-term goal, I set a short-term goal."

The short-term goal wasn't even just the next opponent. It was the next point. It never mattered if she was ahead or behind, whether the crowd was with her or against her - Leon's team was at the match cheering on Johnson early - Arguello's focus never wavered. She's a typical teenager off the court, often seen laughing and joking around with her teammates. On the court, she's as tough as they come.

"She doesn't express it a lot, but she came in here to defend her state title," Jenkins coach Paul Walker said. "She took it seriously, as an opportunity to do something that's not done often. To win multiple titles is difficult, in any sport. You have a bull's-eye on you. The mental toughness to do that is just remarkable, and she certainly has that."

Arguello went into each match confident in her ability, but never overconfident or underestimating her opponent. That allowed her to pick apart each opponent with precision.

Both state titles are sweet for Arguello, whose only two losses in the state tournament in four years came against the eventual state champion. This year's trip to state was special in that she got to play doubles with her sister, Andrea. As Walker noted, they're each other's biggest fan.

So the career of the best player to ever play girls tennis in Polk County comes to an end, and yes, she was the best. She's the first female in the county to win two tennis titles.

"I don't think there's any doubt," Johnson said. "We've had some very outstanding players, even at George Jenkins. No slight to anyone by any means, but yes, with what she's done over the course of her career, she's the best."