A former Division I athlete's journey from junior tennis to Venture Capital

Rallies down the middle. Forehands cross, then backhands. Volleys, serves, drills, points—repeat. Four to six hours each day, six to seven days a week. This was my routine as a tennis player from age 10 to 17.

Tennis is distinct from other sports in its individuality and the level of specialization required to excel. While team sports are typically seasonal, allowing athletes to participate in multiple sports at least until high school, tennis demands a commitment that often leads players to dedicate their lives to the sport from a young age. You also spend a great deal of time alone as a tennis player, even when young. I was nine when I fully committed to tennis over any other sport, an easy choice as I picked up tennis quickly and struggled with other sports.

By high school, my family and I decided to switch my education to online schooling—a common path for competitive tennis players—to accommodate the hours needed for practice and tournament travel to reach the next level. Over the next four years, I spent countless hours on the tennis court, in the gym, and on schoolwork. I traveled to places like Spain and Japan for tournaments, facing the most competitive, high-intensity environments I had ever experienced.

At 17, as the #1 player in my recruiting class, I faced a choice between going pro and playing collegiately. Then, I received a call from Coach Lele Forood to play for Stanford University. A full-ride scholarship to Stanford was an opportunity I couldn't refuse. It brought me some of the best and most challenging moments of my life, including playing my last pro tournament at 18 due to injuries and a desire for new experiences off the court—such as internships at tech companies, volunteer work in South Africa, and co-founding a non-profit—all while still in college.

At Stanford, we won two NCAA championships, and I achieved significant individual ranking milestones. More importantly, I met lifelong friends (future bridesmaids and godparents) and mentors who significantly impacted my life's trajectory.

College tennis was challenging, often far from the idyllic scene I had imagined, as I juggled injuries, school, internships, and friendships while competing against top collegiate players, many of whom were preparing for professional careers.

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Now, post-competitive sports, I reflect on the identity and purpose struggles many athletes face after retiring. I've graduated with both a bachelor’s and a master’s from Stanford and now work in venture capital as an early-stage investor—a role less glamorous than depicted on TV, but nonetheless exciting. My job is to identify and support world-changing entrepreneurs.

In addition to my work, I mentor college students and former athletes in investing and tech, and I recently started a newsletter, The Early, to support early-career professionals. I still play in a tennis tournament occasionally; I suppose I'm semi-retired.

The transition away from sports was tough. I initially feared my tennis skills wouldn’t transfer outside sports, but I now firmly believe the opposite is true. Here’s how tennis underpins my current work:

1. Investing, particularly early-stage, is high-risk, high-reward. It requires taking full responsibility for decisions, reminiscent of tennis.
2. The work involves enduring long periods before a major deal emerges, similar to sports where success is never guaranteed but can be influenced by hard work.
3. Early investments often face skepticism, akin to the self-belief needed in sports to reach high levels.

The exceptional qualities of athletes—determination, work ethic, grit, passion—are invaluable in any profession.

To conclude, moving on from a lifelong dedication to sports is daunting, and no career may fully replace the thrill of sports. Yet, the skills honed as an athlete are immensely valuable beyond sports. As Lele once told me, “Tennis will never be the best thing you do, or the most interesting thing about you.” Tough love, but it resonates with me now.

To all competing athletes—enjoy it and don’t fret about the future. We retired athletes are here to support you when the time comes.

p.s. I love chatting with active and retired athletes about all things investing/venture capital, navigating life after sports, starting a business, or anything I wrote about here. You can reach me at gordonmichaela13@gmail.com.

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