Ajai Sheelvanth '24 Recruiting Profile

My name is Ajai Sheelvanth. I have been exposed to tennis all my life and started playing competitively when I was about eight years old. I got into the sport because of my dad who had been playing tennis from a very young age. Since my early days of the sport, I knew tennis was something I wanted to pursue competitively and in my years at college. I want to be a part of college sports and I look forward to being a part of that team atmosphere. Winning matches at some of the highest levels of play is something that seems very exciting. While I am open to playing tennis at any division and want to be part of a strong tennis program, it is also important to me that the school is able to offer strong academics. A solid academic curriculum and the lessons I will learn on the tennis court will collectively create a strong foundation for my years beyond college. Tennis has taught me many lessons beyond the court, some being time management, being able to take criticism, and the ability to lead as well as the ability to follow. These are all crucial skills for a student-athlete in college, as it allows me to concentrate both in the classroom and on the court. 

In my years of school and tennis, I have been able to succeed in both because of these characteristics and they played a major part in creating a smooth transition when I moved from Chicago to Atlanta in 2019 as well as the hard injury and ensuing surgery that I had from 2021-2022; the most challenging obstacle I have overcome. The move nor injury had major effects on my tennis or academics as I was able to quickly adjust to the new atmosphere and the surgery gave me time to focus on school and improve other parts of my game off of the court. Throughout middle school and high school, I finished with an A average every year in all of my classes. I also did well in tennis; winning tournaments, getting a higher UTR, and competing at a national level. Besides playing, I spend time doing tennis specific strength, movement, and endurance training.  I feel my attitude, character, and ability to listen will make me a good fit for college tennis.