Saving match points and winning the longest match of 2024, Katie Volynets is the trending name in the tennis realm. As an American qualifier shines brighter at the Charleston Open, she advanced to the second round by showing off her talent and tenacity by defeating Arantxa Rus in a thrilling match. After winning the longest match of the year 2024 on the WTA tour, she has created chaos.

Right now, all eyes are on this rising star as commentators and fans alike try to figure out who this young American athlete is who poured her heart and soul onto the court. She left her entrepreneurial skills to multilingual talent to lead a tennis player’s life.

How did Katie Volynets find tennis? 

Given that her parents immigrated from Ukraine, the country of her birth, to the Northern California suburb of Walnut Creek, Volynets’ tennis career is closely linked to her family’s Ukrainian background. Speaking both Russian and Ukrainian with ease, she stays connected, as her extended family still lives in Dnipropetrovsk and Kyiv.

Early on, tennis became a family activity because of her older brother playing matches with their parents and their gifted racquet, which signaled their move to America. The 22-year-old tennis player’s incredible career began when she took her first swing at a tennis ball at the early age of five.

In one interview, she stated, “One day I got really bored with my coloring books. So then I was, like, ‘Dad, can I borrow your racquet? Can I try?’ The funny thing is that we started playing in the house. My dad would be, like, ‘Hit it into my hand,’ and there was a chandelier up there. No pressure.”

However, when they moved to Heather Farms Park, it was then that she had her first tennis lessons and started going to the Moraga Country Club. However, do you know that she has other choices that she left behind, such as swimming, business studies, and other important things?

Volynets left business administration for tennis 

Volynets was still in high school when COVID-19 hit. She opted to turn pro instead of going to college, leaving her business studies behind to pursue her dream. She stated, “To be honest, I felt there was nothing that could replace the experience of playing tournaments. I knew that if I went to college I would be limited on tournaments. I do value education, so that was a tough decision for sure.”

Along with that, as her mother was a good swimmer, she knew that her daughter would love it as much as she did. However, the 22-year-old always had a reason to skip swimming classes after playing tennis and attending classes for the whole day. But do you know she has other different hidden talents that astonish players in the locker room?

The 22-year-old tennis star’s multilingual talent shines bright

While the 110th-ranked tennis player is enjoying her time not only on the tennis court but also in the pro locker room. There was a time when she highlighted how practicing with Russian and Ukrainian tennis players was amazing. She has a lot of Ukrainian friends, including Daria Snigur and Kateryna Baindl.

She stated, “I have a couple of Ukrainian friends, like Daria Snigur and Kateryna Baindl, and I really love practicing my different languages with them. That’s something that’s really fun for me.” And now, after putting her foot forward since the Australian Open this year, she has not only impressed the tennis fans with her skills but also with her sporting dedication and amazing personality.

Nevertheless, what are your thoughts on the young American rising on the court? Do let us know in the comment section below.

READ MORE – Charleston Open 2024: Emma Navarro vs Katie Volynets Preview; Head-to-Head, and Prediction