
‘A THOUSAND DOORS ARE OPEN’
4/6/2023 12:56:00 PM | Women's Tennis, Champions' TriBUne
Gratitude for Baylor and the Challenges that Make us Stronger

Champions' TriBUne is a special feature through Baylor Athletics that gives you the student-athlete's perspective and the chance for them to share their own story. Paula Barañano, a fifth-year senior from Mar del Plata, Argentina, is a three-time Academic All-Big 12 first-team selection who has been a consistent winner in the singles and doubles lineup for the Baylor women's tennis team. Paula is graduating in May with a double major in marketing and MIS (management information systems). In the first of three-straight home matches, Baylor will face UTSA at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Hurd Tennis Center:
In Argentina, we have a proverb: "One door is shut, but a thousand are open." At Baylor, I've been fortunate to find a thousand open doors. While the journey hasn't always been easy, it's been worth every second.
But I should probably start at the beginning…
As a junior tennis player in Argentina, it was tough to find tournaments and female players to train with, so my parents encouraged me to go to Spain to play professionally and raise my level of play. I had just enough money to go on my own, and get around to tournaments, but not enough for a coach or a team. I was young, alone and ended up getting injured during a tournament in Morocco. It was a hard time and I felt very down about my future. Around that time, I got a call from Melany (Krywoj). She was looking at schools in the U.S. and told me that I should look into it, too.
At first, I was hesitant because I wasn't sure if coming to the States would actually help my tennis, but after speaking with my parents and my coach back home, my mind was opened to the idea. I spoke with the coaches at Baylor, and Mel and I decided that together, we would come to Baylor.
I quickly went from hesitant to completely – maybe overly – confident. Mel and I would play No. 1 and No. 2 on the team. We would win everything. So easy. I remember telling Coach Frusci (the assistant coach at the time) who was trying to recruit me to Baylor: "Chris, no worries. I got you."
Since tennis is a spring sport, it's best for athletes to come in the summer or fall and have a chance to train and adjust to college life. That wasn't in the cards for me. January 14th was the last possible day that I could come and be admitted to Baylor. My papers came on January 13th. I booked a flight for the next day, and made it on campus just in time. And a week later, I played my first collegiate tennis match.
That spring was a whirlwind. Because Mel and Ali (Herrero) were not eligible to compete that year, and our team had some unexpected injuries, I was needed immediately. Reality hit hard and fast. The level of tennis was so much higher than I expected. My English was not great; school was challenging; I was late to practice and class all the time; the team was losing; I was crying.

The coaches knew that year was going to be very challenging. When it got hard, head coach Joey Scrivano reminded us this season was going to be an investment in the future. He reminded us to be patient and just keep working and doing our best. We had great leadership on the team, too, with Livia Kraus, Jessica Hinojosa, Angie Shakhraichuk and Kris Sorokolet.
It would be a lie to say I didn't think about quitting. But then I thought of all the work we had put in as a team. We were helping each other get better on the court, but also going to tutoring together, and I could see the future.
My sophomore year, it all started coming together. My English was better, I changed my major to Marketing, so that I could be more challenged in school, and I was managing my time better. As a team, we were very strong.
In the 2020 season, we saw the fruits of our hard work. No more crying. We were ready. We had a 10-2 record and were 2-0 in Big 12 Conference play. We had our sights on a run at a conference title and hopefully more. Then boom, COVID!

At first, we thought, "Hey, we get a couple weeks off. No big deal." But everyone knows what went down. We all went home. I was in Argentina. We were doing Zoom calls with the team. Baylor sent us training gear and plans so we could work out at home. But in the fall, when others returned, I could not. Argentina was very strict.
But this time, I knew what to expect. The team was very good, and I would have to work hard to make the lineup. So even though I couldn't be there, I committed to keeping my tennis up. I had to be very creative and dedicated, but I wouldn't let myself give up.
When I arrived back at Baylor in spring of 2021, the coaches were pleased, and maybe even surprised that I had not dropped off a lot. But it was my first or second day back in full swing, and doing a fitness test, and boom, injured. I had done something to my back, and it looked very bad. The doctors and trainers thought it was a season-ending injury. I was in tears.
I couldn't believe it, after all I had done to get there.
Joey and Lenka Broosova immediately had a plan for me (as always). I can remember, I was crying, and Joey was saying "Kiddo, it's okay. You can do the MBA, you can take the redshirt. Help is coming." In that moment, I could only see the shut door, but my coaches saw the ones that were open.

Thankfully and miraculously, the injury was not as bad as everyone thought, and in a month's time, I was playing again. And soon, back in the lineup.
We did our best to build on the momentum we had the previous year and had a great season. We had a top-10 ranking, finished second in the Big 12 Conference and made the finals of the Big 12 Tournament, which we got to host. We were a bit unlucky in the NCAA tournament with the draw. We had to play Duke in the second round. We were so close, and maybe only one or two games away from beating them.
Jess, Mel, Ali and I sat in the locker room for hours after that. We weren't ready for it to be over. But now, when I look back, that moment together is what mattered most. The sting of the losses goes away with time, but the memories of being a team and doing things together stays with you.
This season, our team is close and I feel grateful that I can be more of a leader. I am friends with everyone and hope that I can be a good example and help them through their challenges. This year is about enjoying the last ride and having fun. If we keep working hard, like we have been, the good things will come in time. And I don't even mean results… In our minds, we are strong and can feel good about anything as long as we give it our all.

My time at Baylor has prepared me well for the next chapter. We have amazing coaches and professors. The people in Baylor Athletics are very present and here to help us. And Jacqui (Haddock, Director of Tennis Operations)… I love Jacqui, she does so much for us.
Being away from home is not easy, but I have learned during this time that it is not about the place or the results, it is all about the people and the memories. I have an amazing team that has my back, coaching staff that supports me, and I have Juampi (Mazzuchi). He is one of the most important people in my life, and I have enjoyed the privilege of spending this time in Waco with him and growing together.
There have been highs and lows, but when I look back, I see a person who went from an overwhelmed and struggling freshman to a strong, resilient and confident super senior, ready to take on the next chapter. I could not have gotten here without my family back home, my team and my coaches (second family), my boyfriend and Baylor. Thanks to them, I'm looking at a thousand open doors.
To my family and friends:
No quería dejar de dedicarles unas palabras a mi familia y a mis amigos que me acompañaron desde el día uno en esta aventura y que siempre estuvieron conmigo en cada paso. Gracias a mi mama y mi papa que me llevaron al club desde que tengo uso de razón y me bancaron para que yo pueda seguir jugando, siempre con amor y positivismo. Gracias a mi hermana que fue la que me llevo de su mano a mi primer entrenamiento, a mi abuela que me acompaño cada día y me dio los mejores consejos, y al resto de mi familia que tiraron siempre para adelante. Gracias a mis amigos del colegio y del club, que siempre estuvieron bancando y sacándome una sonrisa. Gracias a Juampi, con el crecí y compartí toda la vida. También agradecer al Club Náutico que me vio nacer y a todos mis entrenadores que aportaron su granito de arena y me impulsaron a ser mejor, especialmente a Dani y a su equipo. Por ultimo, gracias nuevamente a Baylor University y a toda su gente. Estos cuatro años y medio, Baylor me dio la oportunidad de estudiar, jugar al tenis, hacer nuevas amistades y prepararme para una nueva etapa en mi vida, en la que daré mi máximo, como lo hice siempre adentro de una cancha de tenis.

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