Wacnik Sees the World as Pro Athlete

Jessica Wacnik played four impressive years of tennis for Boston College. Her playing days weren't over though. Her time at The Heights set her up for her dream of going pro.

Wacnik had completed an impressive BC tenure in 2015. She and then-sophomore Lexi Borr ranked 21st nationally in doubles, making the All-American Championship Tournament. She played first singles in all four seasons and capped her career with the nation's No. 71 singles ranking.

The Orland Park, Ill., native felt ready to pursue tennis beyond U.S. and North American borders. Wacnik joined the pro circuit in summer 2015. She has since competed in countries such as Australia, China and Thailand. Wacnik will spend the next few weeks in Greece.

Some of her International Tennis Federation competitors passed on college to pursue the pros. However, Wacnik says playing at Boston College helped her professional pursuits.

"A lot of people who go straight to the pros don't get the opportunity to be on a team, so their perspective is different," Wacnik said. "I have great relationships and friends that came from BC and a great coach that I can always rely on."

How It Happened

Wacnik's career began in $15,000 tournaments – the amount of prize money distributed among all competitors, which typically included 32 athletes who made the main draw. She had to win five matches in three separate $15,000 tournaments to achieve a WTA ranking of 1,300 or better.

She could also achieve that ranking by earning 10 points or more in a higher-level tournament, but the competition would get tougher. Her breakthrough came in a $50,000 tournament – the Canberra International in Australia in November 2015.

In the round of 32, Wacnik defeated fellow American Yuki Kristina Chiang 6-2, 6-4. She drew Japan's Ayaka Osana – who ended 2015 ranked 291st globally – in the next round. Wacnik earned the 6-3, 7-5 victory, making the quarterfinals and earning 20 points in the tournament. Wacnik earned a No. 746 ranking for her points at the Canberra International.

"Australia might have been one of my favorite places – not just because it was something new," Wacnik said. "I think it was just the atmosphere there. All my best results came from Australia, so I'm a little bit more biased for it."

Continuing the Dream

She continues to train in Chicago and spend months at a time competing around the world. Wacnik ranked as highly as 485th worldwide, which she earned Oct. 24.

Since Wacnik travels alone, the language barrier challenges her in many countries. However, she usually meets people she can speak to during each trip, which eases her transition to each new destination.

Wacnik spent years deciding whether to go pro after college. Her time at BC set her in the right direction for those dreams.

"I learned how to be a leader while I was at BC," Wacnik said. "Our team worked together so much, and we all depended on each other."

Players Mentioned

Lexi Borr

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