Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 19, 1990 TAG: 9004200691
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: E-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Bob Teitlebaum Sportswriter
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Still, the Terriers' 16-year-old junior has dreams that one day she'll get to play Capriati, who has just entered the pro ranks and is predicted to become the next big tennis star.
"I wish I could do what she's doing right now. But we don't have the money or the kind of competition [needed for training]," said Veloso. "I think I'm capable of playing the pro tournament if I keep on working hard."
It is possible that Veloso, in time, might make the pro circuit. That may some day include a match against Capriati.
For now, though, Veloso must be satisfied to be the state's No. 1 ranked player in the girls' 16-and-under division of the Middle Atlantic Tennis Association. She's No. 2 in the region and 45th in the country.
Veloso hopes to parlay her wizardry on the tennis court into a college scholarship. From there, she hopes to get a shot at the pros.
"I played in the same tournament [a few years ago] as Capriati," said Veloso. "Neither one of us won it. I think she's really incredible and really good.
"Some players like Tracy Austin have had problems with their bodies and burnout. But Capriati is so strong. I saw her play just last year in Florida."
Veloso doesn't have tunnel vision as far as tennis is concerned. Though she spends most of her time in the summer on the courts, studies are important. That is the reason she's trying to make the pro ranks by going to college.
"I think I'm a good student. I try to get the best grades that I can, although I don't enjoy studying. It makes me feel good to get good grades, but that's geeky because that's not a common goal for people my age," said Veloso.
The Byrd junior got her start in tennis thanks to her father, Antonio, and mother, Avita. They took her with them when they played tennis.
"We were going to the park and playing for recreation," said Antonio Veloso. "A couple of years after that, she was doing well.
"She entered a tournament when she was 10, but I don't know about her becoming a pro. She has to work hard, and I don't think she works that hard. She's busy with school and it's a lot of pressure."
Antonette Veloso also is interested in art and drawing. Her father works in architectural drawing, but she says there is little danger that she'll follow in his footsteps.
"He always said it's not good money. Not that that's important. But I'm not interested in the same kind of things he's doing."
Veloso keeps herself busy going to different tournaments. This summer, she'll be a wild-card entry in the main draw of the United States Women's Circuit tournament that will be held at Hunting Hills Country Club. The host city is allowed to fill the main draw with one local player of choice, and tournament director Larry Lineberry of Hunting Hills picked Veloso.
Veloso's high-school career is interesting in another way. She plays for the William Byrd boys' tennis team because the Blue Ridge District does not sponsor girls' team play.
This has thrown her against Salem's Tommy McDonald, who finished second in the Group AA meet last year. One of the two players will be eliminated in the district level. Last year McDonald, now a senior, beat Veloso in the Blue Ridge District after the two had split regular-season victories.
This year, Veloso beat McDonald 7-6, 7-5 in their first meeting and they'll play again April 30.
Last year, the two were friendly and practiced together when they weren't competing. This year's first match changed that, and now the two are unfriendly rivals.
"There's no pressure on me. I'm the girl. I have nothing to lose," said Veloso. "Of course I want to win, but I don't want to win so much that it hurts me inside.
"We're not good friends [anymore]. It's not like we hate each other. But he was really rude, unsportsmanlike [in our match this year]. I don't think I should have to put up with that."
The point of contention came over a tie breaker to settle the first game. McDonald hit a shot past Veloso, who ruled it out. In high-school tennis, players call their own games because there aren't enough officials, and the cost is prohibitive in hiring line judges.
McDonald denies bad sportsmanship.
"She just gave me a bad call. I asked her about it to see if she would change. When she didn't, that was the end of it," said McDonald.
Obviously, the rivalry is very intense as Veloso has a chance to win the boys' state title if she can make it past McDonald.
"There's no doubt he's under pressure because she's a girl," said Salem coach Dave Petersen. "The general public would say he's supposed to win. Both players want to win for pride, but Tommy has the added pressure that the public outlook is that a boy is supposed to beat a girl."
The rivalry makes this one of the better tennis stories to come along in Roanoke in quite a while. According to Petersen, the boy-versus-girl angle is a small part of it.
"It's overshadowed everyone's view that when they play, it's really one excellent player playing another excellent player," said Petersen.
As for winning the boys' state title, Antonio Veloso says, "We don't really discuss it. I told her: `If you can do it, it's great. Do it.' But I'm encouraging her to play well all the time. Show her ability."
Veloso was named Timesland girls' tennis player of the year for 1989, though she played in the boys' division. That upset one girls' tennis coach, who felt she should be picked in the division in which she played.
However, Veloso is accepted at Byrd where she was elected team captain despite being the only girl on the team.
"The boys respect her. They don't see her as a prima donna. She doesn't act like she's better than them. It's good for her to be on the team because when Antonette goes to tournaments, she's always by herself. At Byrd, she gets part of the team competition," said Terriers' coach Mike Gibson.
Veloso was 4-0 for the Byrd team at the end of last week. Over the Christmas holidays, she traveled to Italy and won a tournament there.
by CNB