Alexis Blokhina is a name to watch out for on the WTA Tour in the coming years. Taking a sabbatical from College, the 21-year-old American is now 8 months into her first full season on the ITF Tour. Blokhina has already won her first professional trophy – a W50 title – and has sliced her ranking in half.
As with all tennis players though, nothing happens overnight, and nothing happens by chance. A lot of work goes into just making it to the ITF Tour.
The Beginnings of a Tennis Career
Blokhina’s introduction to tennis came around the age of six, but her early experiences were far from conventional. Born in California, when she was just four years old, her family relocated to Japan, where she attended the American School of Tokyo. It was there, that she first picked up a racket in a structured setting, and set the wheels in motion for a career travelling the globe.
Upon returning to California, the family faced some tough decisions. Tennis had evolved from a casual pastime into something more serious.
“It was time to start taking tennis kind of seriously, so we went down to Florida for better training and weather,” Blokhina recalls.
The relocation to Florida, known for its year-round sunshine and elite training facilities, was a pivotal moment in improving her game to a higher level. From there, she dove into the ITF Junior circuit, honing her skills, and beating some of the world’s top young talents.
Her junior career was sprinkled with impressive achievements. Blokhina climbed to a career-high ranking of 25 on the junior tour. She competed in all four Grand Slams, with her standout performance coming at the 2021 US Open, where she advanced to the Round of 16. The highlight of that run was her 2nd Rd. victory over Diana Shnaider, who is currently ranked 12 in the world.
Building on that momentum, Blokhina claimed victory at the Junior Indian Wells in 2022, overcoming Iva Jovic (who is currently at a career high of 73, and moving up fast) in the semi-finals en-route to the title.
College Education
As she approached college age, Blokhina had her sights set on Stanford University, one of the premier institutions for balancing academics and athletics. Securing a scholarship there was a dream realized, allowing her to pursue higher education while continuing to develop her tennis career.
For several years, Blokhina juggled the demands of college tennis with sporadic appearances in ITF events.
“If I had a lighter week at school, and we didn’t have any College matches, I would try to play, just to keep my ranking up, and obviously I played in the summers,” she explains.
This dual commitment required exceptional time management, but it provided a supportive environment to nurture her game. An environment that she would soon discover, contrasted sharply with the solitary nature of professional tennis.
The College chapter came to a close in January of this year, when Blokhina made the decision to focus exclusively on the ITF Tour. Thanks to the flexibility in her scholarship agreement, she was able to step away from Stanford after completing 50% of her degree.
“Part of my scholarship contract was that if I finished 50% of my degree, I can leave for up to 10 years, and come back to finish my degree and academics,” she explained. This provision allowed her to chase her professional aspirations without abandoning her educational goals entirely.
Transition to the Professional Ranks
Since turning her full attention to the pros, Blokhina has immersed herself in the circuit, moving to Germany, and competing in 15 events so far this year. The shift has been anything but seamless though, as she adjusts to the unyielding demands of life on tour.
“It’s definitely been a big adjustment. Coming from always having a team around you, and everything prepared for you. Never having to worry about logistics or flights or practice schedules,” she reflects.
In college, the structure was built-in: “We always had a team staying in hotels with each other. It was a lot more like a social experience because the matches were very intense, and I loved playing for the team. But it was always nice because you were never alone. They were always people around you, and then as soon as you turn pro, it’s completely black and white.”
The independence required in professional land, extends beyond logistics. Blokhina has had to take ownership of her training regimen, travel arrangements, and daily routines—often with minimal support.
One of the most profound changes has been the isolation inherent in constant travel. Blokhina, who is rarely home, describes it as a double-edged sword.
“Obviously my parents helped me with some of the logistics, but overall, the biggest adjustment is making practice for yourself, traveling alone, and just not having really a team environment.
I would say definitely the biggest change turning pro is just how isolating it is, and how much travel. I’m traveling every week. I think I’ve been home maybe four weeks altogether this year, which is crazy, but I’m beginning to love it and see the bright side of all of it,” she says.
Blokhina hails from a very close-knit family, meaning the separation part of professional life is difficult.
“My parents have always been supportive of my journey and are involved in each decision that I make. My brother (a Harvard freshman) and I attribute both of our successes academically, and in tennis, to the unwavering support we get from our parents and family. They have instilled a close bond between us.”
This newfound autonomy has tested her, as it does for most new professionals, but it’s also developing growth in ways she hadn’t anticipated.
Embracing the challenges has become a mantra for her: “I would say the more you struggle the better rewards that come out of it. That’s the biggest thing that I’ve seen so far.”
Turning potential setbacks into opportunities, is something young tennis players need to learn early, but sometimes, those lessons can’t be taught until they’re out on the road, and facing them head on.
Blokhina’s 2023 season kicked off modestly in Tunisia at a 15K event, a common entry point for players building their rankings. Starting the year at No. 858, she has since skyrocketed to 476, powered by consistent deep runs including quarter-finals, semi-finals, and finals appearances.
First ITF Title
The pinnacle of her season so far, came in June at the W50 event in Troisdorf, Germany, where she captured her first professional title. Entering as somewhat of an underdog, Blokhina navigated through qualifying before dismantling a field of higher-ranked opponents.
Her path included five victories over players above her in the rankings, culminating in a final triumph over Anna-Lena Friedsam, a veteran with a career-high ranking of 45.
Although the victory “wasn’t quite out of nowhere,” as Blokhina puts it, not many would’ve predicted such a dream run. Her form on paper leading into the tournament didn’t forecast such dominance.
“I was playing pretty good tennis before then, I got to quarters, in a 35K in Sweden. But I was actually injured the week before and I had to pull out of a match right before this tournament.”
Initially not even in the qualifying draw, she entered as an alternate when spots opened up—a stroke of fortune that she seized with both hands.
The week wasn’t without its hurdles. Early on, Blokhina rolled her ankle, forcing her to rely on strapping and painkillers like Advil to push through. Yet, ironically, this adversity may have contributed to her success by alleviating pressure.
“I was just playing really loose. I was thinking, ‘I’m happy just to even get into this tournament’, and I think because I really put no pressure on myself, I was enjoying every single moment,” she explains.
For much of the year, Blokhina has based herself in Offenbach am Main, a suburb just outside Frankfurt, Germany. There, she trains at the Alexander Waske Tennis University Academy under the guidance of Alexander Waske, a former professional turned coach.
“He’s a great guy, who’s very knowledgeable and I think he understands me well. We have a really good relationship. It’s been a great partnership so far,” Blokhina says of her mentor. Waske’s presence proved invaluable during her breakthrough week in Troisdorf.
“It was really nice that Alex was able to be there with me the whole week. His support was definitely greatly valued, because I think he helped me a lot there. That tournament was great and honestly definitely put a lot of belief in me.”
The win proved yet again, that despite inconsistent results on paper, and even an injury, tennis is played so much above the shoulders. Blokhina acknowledges that her technical game hadn’t drastically changed, but her mindset had.
“There’s a big mental side (to tennis) because I know my tennis hasn’t changed in two months. I would say it’s just changing the mindset that you go into every match. That’s when you see the biggest differences. Playing relaxed and calm and just going with the flow, and enjoying competing. I think that’s the most important part, and that’s what clicked for me that week.”
Setbacks
Unfortunately, the euphoria of Troisdorf was somewhat short-lived, as injuries began to take effect. A persistent shoulder issue, compounded by lingering ankle problems, hampered her performance in the preceding weeks.
Despite – or perhaps, due to – soldiering through five subsequent events without a main-draw win, Blokhina recognized the need for intervention.
“I’ve had a shoulder injury and the ankle has still been bothering me. I’ve been trying to play through it, but we kind of decided to come back to the US to get some physical therapy done and just make sure that when I come back, I’m 100% healthy, and able to compete at 100%.”
Taking time off is always a reluctant choice for any player. But for a player in their first full year on the tour, and especially one on an upward trajectory, it’s even harder to take.
“It’s definitely tough to stop playing after injury, because you don’t want to take time off. It’s not like it was that bad to the point where I couldn’t walk or do anything like that, so you always think that you want to play through it, but it’s just not the smart decision. So I’m glad I made it now.”
Looking ahead, Blokhina is eager to return to the court and build on her momentum. She plans to resume training in September, aiming for a strong finish to the season. Her goals are ambitious, yet achievable: elevating her ranking to secure a place in the qualifying field of the Australian Open, and/or French Open.
“Hopefully when I come back in September, I’ll have a week or two of training to get back into tip-top shape, play some tournaments and maybe go to Asia. It only takes a few successful tournaments, and then you’re right in the slam qualifying range.”
Blokhina’s supportive family structure is something that she understands is going to help her, and her brother, in whatever they decide to do in life.
“My parents have always taught us to prioritize the most Important things that would help us secure our future from a younger age and I can honestly say we are both living out our childhood dreams.”
Add that to a solid foundation from her junior and college days, a breakthrough title already under her belt, Blokhina has given herself every chance of succeeding. As she continues to adapt to the demands of the professional lifestyle, it feels certain we’ll be seeing on some bigger courts in the not-too-distant future.
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