An American tennis player with a legendary collegiate career, Julia Elbaba is an athlete that specializes in both singles and doubles tennis. She graduated from the University of Virginia in 2016 and made her WTA main draw debut at the 2019 Dubai Tennis Championships.
Born in 1994 in Mineola, New York, Elbaba was raised in Oyster Bay, New York. She enjoyed a decorated junior career that included ITF titles in Costa Rica and Mexico in 2011. In 2012, she won the USTA Futures 10K event in New Orleans. A highly recruited athlete, Elbaba chose to attend the University of Virginia as a Media Studies major and instantly shattered several school records. As a freshman, she ranked as high as No. 4 in ITS singles rankings, a school record. She then broke her own record by reaching No. 1 during her junior season. Elbaba went undefeated at the Master’U BNP Paribas in France, helping Team USA win a historic championship. A four-time selection to the All-America honor roll, she set the Cavaliers’ record for 133 total wins and reached the Round of 16 at the NCAA Singles Championship in her final year.
Elbaba turned pro in 2016 and has reached as high as No. 301 overall on the WTA doubles rankings and No. 372 overall as a singles player. In 2019, she notably participated in the Dubai Tennis Championships alongside Alena Fomina. During her recent rehabilitation from a UCL tear in her right elbow, Elbaba has started a career in sports media as a color commentator on the Pro Challenger Tour. A resilient athlete with a bright future ahead of her, Julia Elbaba is a widely respected tennis star.