Karina Gadjanov '24 Recruiting Profile

Hi, my name is Karina. I am 17 years old and am starting my last year of secondary school. My goal has always been to play singles and doubles at the college level. Although tennis is an individual sport, I love the idea of having teammates and working together. For this reason, I am a huge doubles fan and I strongly believe my singles, and especially doubles skills can become an asset to any team. I think playing tennis in this format is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I plan to make the most of it.  

I am a good candidate because I work hard to achieve my goals and will continue to do so. I am fueled by my love for the game, so that even on bad days I can manage to push through it. I trained most of my life at the Newmarket Community Tennis Club and have spent some time playing in the ATI Girls National Program. I currently train at Richmond Hill Country Club under amazing coaches. I started playing OTA tournaments at the age of 12 and continue to play as often as I can.

My game is ideal for doubles, but is also effective in singles. I'm most confident when I'm volleying at the net and closing in to finish the point. I take pride in my reflexes and ability to place the ball accurately and effectively when I'm at the net. Serving and volleying is a skill I have worked hard on in order to generate offence quickly and throw off my opponents. I am also a supportive and encouraging partner and can be a great doubles asset to any team. I am able to adapt my game style depending on who I'm playing, allowing me to do well against many kinds of players. I am currently still touching up my groundstrokes and working on their consistency, as well as the quality of my serve. I have faith that once my hard work starts to show, I'll be able to go to the next level.

At age 11, I made the decision to dedicate myself to tennis, but up until then, I did a variety of other athletic extra-curriculars. They include swimming, dancing, karate, golf and skiing. I also try to maintain a regular gym schedule whenever I'm not busy with training or homework.

In addition to playing, I coach. I have always been good with other people- children especially. I spend time teaching them the basics of tennis and playing fun games, all while encouraging good sportsmanship between one another. 

I spent my childhood attending a French Immersion school and remained in the French Immersion stream throughout high school, where I also took an interest in learning business, specifically marketing and finance. As I got older, I began to understand the importance of balance between academics and athletics. As a result, I have become a great student-athlete and am definitely capable of performing at the next level.

Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to dedicating myself to an outstanding college tennis program and working hard as a student-athlete to achieve my full potential as a tennis player.