WEST COVINA, Calif. — Sunlight broke through the low-hanging clouds over the public tennis courts at Palm Park, 15 minutes from Ernesto Escobedo’s family home. But Neto, as he is called, packed his eight rackets back in his bag. It had started raining again. He looked west, where it was brighter.

“Let’s go try Carson — see if the courts are dry there,” he said before heading for the United States Tennis Association training center, 20 miles away.

It was the day before Escobedo was to fly to Acapulco for the Abierto Mexicano Telcel, Mexico’s most prestigious professional tournament, where a wild-card entry awaited him.

“It’s like a hometown tournament,” Escobedo said. “My aunts and uncles and cousins will all be there.”