Taylor Cataldi '21 Recruiting Profile

I believe my most valuable asset on the tennis court is my versatility.  I pride myself on being an all around player, which allows me to manipulate my game for each individual opponent more effectively than other girls I come across. You need me to hang in the back court and just grind for a certain opponent?  You got it.  Does this girl hate dealing with serve and volleyers?  No problem.  Should I constantly keep it out of her comfort zone using slices and heavy topspin? Done.  On top of this, I love incorporating a combination of aggressive-baseliner and net-rusher mentality, something I don't see very often among my peers. 

I've been lucky enough to play internationally, and the experience of being an outsider in a new environment every tournament really strengthened the mental aspect of my game.  I won 5 ITF junior titles (2 singles, 3 doubles) and also reached the doubles semifinals in two professional 15k events. However, I feel I grew the most when those opportunities were restricted from me.  After a few nagging mental hangups were identified late last year, I was told I would not be able to travel again until they were resolved.  I then worked harder on the mental side of the game than ever before, and my next results were two consecutive Women's Open titles.  My Southern California Women's ranking skyrocketed from 50 to 9. 

Tennis aside, the thing that probably sets me apart the most is my energy.  Shy is something you will never see from me, and it shines brightest when I step on the court.  I've always made it my duty to be the most encouraging doubles partner I can be, and with even more players to support, it might be difficult to find a bigger cheerleader for your team!