Fans desperate for Delgado

Sure, Coto de Caza may have had a reality show on Bravo called “Real Housewives of Orange County,” but now Newport Beach boasts its own housewives club. The Desperate Housewives for Ramon Delgado.

With the return of the Newport Beach Breakers of World Team Tennis comes the return of a growing fan club. Taking a cue from a prime time soap opera, The Desperate Housewives for Ramon Delgado fan club is gaining steam.

It all started when a group of six or seven Newport Beach women who serve as volunteers for the Breakers took a particular liking to Delgado, who was born and raised in Asuncion, Paraguay.

Volunteers perform duties like picking up Breakers’ players at the airport.

“I was always picking him up,” said Pam Weston, the social secretary for the club. “He’s so friendly. Not all of the players that come through are.”

Weston said three years ago, the Breakers were so awful, it was painful to watch.

“We wanted to give them some positive energy,” Weston said.

So the women started cheering as loud as they could for Delgado and he responded.

“He was way behind, we cheered, he came back,” said Cyndie Borcoman, the head cheerleader for the club. “The next match we said we all need to cheer as loud as we can so he’ll know we’re cheering for him. It seems like every time we cheer for him now, he wins.”

“We were all really impressed with his skills and dedication, and how he is diligent about playing hard for us,” fan club director Liz McNabb said.

Of course, there’s a little more to it, isn’t there?

“He’s a gutsy player and he never quits,” Borcoman said. “Also because he’s so cute. He’s a hottie. He’s a hottie and a closer.”

A closer?

“He knows how to finish matches,” she said.

“He’s absolutely adorable,” Weston said. “And he’s Latin, so we get weak-kneed when we see him.”

Borcoman said the fan club is up to 25 members and growing.

“By the end of the week, we hope to have over 50 fans,” she said.

Weston, who is divorced, said about 70 % of the group is married, 30 % are single and all are Palisades Tennis Club members.

“Some of us are more desperate than others,” Borcoman said.

In addition to getting recognized for his personality and appearance, Delgado has earned praise for his contributions on the court. Breakers Coach Dick Leach calls him the “workhorse” of the team. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2004 World Team Tennis finals. He has competed in the Davis Cup for Paraguay since 1994.

Delgado is a key ingredient on a team that has reached the World Team Tennis championship match the last two years and appears headed for a third appearance. The league semifinals and championship match are slated to take place at Palisades Tennis Club July 29-30.

Tuesday against the Houston Wranglers, Delgado won his singles set to clinch the victory for the Breakers. Even with Pete Sampras on the team for seven regular-season matches and the playoffs, Delgado is more valuable because he competes every night.

Fan club members appreciate every aspect of Delgado.

“He’s polite, nice and he’s a team player, which is nice to see,” Weston said. “He talks kind about his coach and the other players.”

The Desperate Housewives for Ramon Delgado are dedicated to assisting him on and off the court.

“It’s all about Ramon. We’re here for Ramon,” Borcoman said.

Delgado has come to appreciate his fan club.

“They are unbelievable,” Delgado said. “They’ve been doing it for over two years now. It’s great.”

With Sampras now on the team, will the fan club’s devotion waver?

“When legends come into town, things change a little bit,” McNabb said. “But I’m disappointed that Sampras is only playing one home match during the regular season, so I’m sticking with my man, Ramon.”

“We hope that Sampras doesn’t get mad because of all the attention we give Ramon,” Weston said. “We don’t want to get him mad because we need him to win for us.”

Other key members of the growing fan club include Stacy Blaugrund, whose home near the Palisades Tennis Club serves as a meeting place before matches, Christy Flesvig, Mara Cole, Kelly Knight, Madeline Tinkler and Natalie Graham.

“I’m the loudest,” said Borcoman, who dubbed herself “Head Vocal Chords.” “You can hear me all the way to Stacy’s house.”

“Cyndie is the spearhead, she’s the critical element,” McNabb said.

The fan club appreciates the fun atmosphere the league provides and they take full advantage of it.

“It’s great to have a local pro team, and we’re just having fun with it,” McNabb said. “That’s what World Team Tennis is all about. It’s an opportunity for men and women to play together and have spectators be involved, and the fans really appreciate that.”

Do the husbands of the Desperate Housewives for Ramon Delgado appreciate their significant others’ enthusiasm for Delgado and the Breakers?

“When I get ready to go to a match, I tell him, ‘I’m off,’” McNabb said. “He just rolls his eyes.”dpt.13-housewives-kt-BPhotoInfo351SSL8F20060713j2bfpancCredit: KENT TREPTOW / DAILY PILOT Caption: (LA)Members of the Desperate Housewives for Ramon Delgado fan club cheer the Breakers’ tennis star during a recent World Team Tennis match at Palisades Tennis Club. Delgado plays singles and doubles for the Breakers.