Knowing where she stands in the tennis world today, hearing that Christina Sisti “didn’t really like it at first” when her 6-year-old self started playing, might be baffling. The Mount Vernon native was signed by Tulane University women’s tennis head coach Terri Sisk as a five-star recruit, and she’ll begin her tenure there this fall.
With an overall record of 32-23, she is currently ranked third in the state, no surprise, given that last year, Sisti bested 41 ranked players in the U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying Tournament, and placed fourth in the USTA National Warm-up Tournament. Her skill on the court has evolved immensely since she reached the USTA National Selection Tournament in 2014, and she is determined to thrive at the collegiate level as well.
“Mentally I’ve gotten stronger, and that comes with maturity and more instruction on my game tactic,” she shares.
Of course, as she heads for a Division 1 university, the tennis ace has both academic and athletic excellence in mind. “I want to maintain above a 3.5 G.P.A., [and] I hope our team can make it to the NCAAs,” says Sisti. “And with me and a few of the other girls that were signed, I think it can be done.”
For Sisti, tennis has always been a family affair, with both her mother and brother having played, but she realizes that same support system won’t be on call while she is away at Tulane. Fortunately, she’s eager to develop a similar bond with her new teammates.
“When you go to college, it’s about the team atmosphere; it’s not about playing for yourself anymore,” says Sisti. “And with that comes more pressure, and more people depending on you. But there’s also more people to celebrate with.”
