Christina Maria McHale (born May 11, 1992) is an inactive American tennis player. Her career-high WTA rankings are No. 24 in singles and No. 35 in doubles.
Known for an aggressive baseline game, McHale was recognized by The New York Times for her "booming" groundstrokes and fast footwork. She reached the third round of all four Grand Slam tournaments and represented the United States in Fed Cup and Olympic competitions. In September 2016, McHale won her first and only career WTA Tour singles title at the Japan Women's Open.
Early life McHale is the daughter of John and Margarita McHale. Her father John is an Irish American, while her mother Margarita was born in Cuba. She resided New Jersey until she was three years old. Her family lived in Hong Kong from the time she was three until she was eight, and she speaks a degree of Mandarin Chinese, along with fluent Spanish. In 2000, the McHale family returned to the United States. In June 2006, she graduated from Upper School of the Englewood Cliffs Public Schools as the eighth-grade valedictorian.Coffey, Samantha. "Christina McHale Courts Greatness" , Scholastic News Kids Press Corps, September 9, 2011. Accessed September 19, 2011. "Five years ago, Christina McHale was the valedictorian of her middle school in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Today, she is the youngest women's tennis player in the top 100 of the world."
For her freshman year of high school, she attended the Academy of Law and Public Safety within Dwight Morrow High School. At the age of 15, she left home to train at the USTA Training Center headquarters in Boca Raton, Florida, and since then she was homeschooled through Kaplan Online High School. Her sister Lauren played collegiate tennis at UNC-Chapel Hill.
Career McHale began professional training at the USTA Training Center in Carson, California.Waltz, Nicholas J. (January 31, 2013). "USTA Training Center-East expands programming". USTA.
2009 She was granted a wildcard into the main draw of the Australian Open where she lost a three-set match in the first round to Jessica Moore.
In March, McHale played at a 25k tournament in Redding, California, where she was defeated in the first round by seventh seed Kimiko Date-Krumm. Playing at the Miami Open, McHale lost in the first round of qualifying to Anastasiya Yakimova.
Competing at a 25k tournament in Szczecin, Poland, McHale advanced to the semifinal round where she was defeated by Stephanie Gehrlein. Seeded fourth at a 10k tournament in Alkmaar, she lost in her quarterfinal match to qualifier Laura Pous Tió. Coming through qualifying at the Vancouver Open, McHale was defeated in the first round by Olga Puchkova. Playing at the Connecticut Open, she lost in the first round of qualifying to Yanina Wickmayer. Entering as a wildcard at the US Open, McHale won her first match in a major by beating Polona Hercog in the first round. She was defeated in the second round by 29th seed, former world No. 1 and 2006 champion, Maria Sharapova.
In Canada at the Challenger de Saguenay, McHale lost in the second round to Anastasia Pivovarova. At the USTA Tennis Classic of Troy in Alabama, McHale reached the final where she was defeated by qualifier and compatriot, Alison Riske. Playing in Kansas City at the Pro Tennis Classic, she lost in the second round to second seed and compatriot, Varvara Lepchenko. At the Goldwater Classic in Phoenix, McHale lost in the first round again to Alison Riske. At her final tournament of the season, the Tevlin Challenger in Toronto, she lost in the second round to Alexandra Stevenson.
McHale ended the year ranked world No. 218.
2010
She started season by playing at a 25k tournament in Plantation, Florida. Seeded seventh, she lost her quarterfinal match to top seed Maret Ani. At the 25k tournament in Lutz, Florida, McHale reached the quarterfinal round where she was defeated by qualifier Florencia Molinero.
Representing the United States in the Fed Cup tie versus France, McHale only played one rubber; she lost to Pauline Parmentier. The U.S. team ended up winning the tie over France 4–1. Playing a 25k tournament in Surprise, Arizona, McHale made it to the semifinals where she was defeated by Abigail Spears. As a wildcard at the Indian Wells Open, McHale lost in the first round to compatriot Vania King. In Miami, she was defeated in the first round of qualifying by Katie O'Brien.
Coming through qualifying at the Family Circle Cup, McHale lost in the third round to 13th seed and compatriot Melanie Oudin. At the French Open, she was defeated in the first round by Varvara Lepchenko.
Playing in Rome at the Italian Open, McHale reached the quarterfinals where she lost to second seed Maria Elena Camerin. Seeded seventh at the Smart Card Open, McHale lost in her quarterfinal match to second seed and eventual champion Patricia Mayr-Achleitner. Seeded fourth at the Grapevine Classic, McHale was eliminated in the first round by Julia Glushko.
Getting past the qualifying rounds at the Stanford Classic, she lost in the second round to top seed Sam Stosur. Competing at the Vancouver Open, McHale advanced to the semifinals where she was defeated by sixth seed Virginie Razzano. Receiving a wildcard to play at the Western & Southern Open, McHale won her first-round match when her opponent, 15th seed Nadia Petrova, retired due to heat illness. McHale lost in the third round to fourth seed and eventual champion Kim Clijsters. In New Haven, she was defeated in the first round of qualifying by Simona Halep. At the US Open, McHale lost in the first round to Vania King.
At the Challenge Bell in Quebec City, McHale reached the semifinals where she was defeated by qualifier and eventual champion Tamira Paszek. Getting through qualifying at the Pan Pacific Open, she lost in the first round to Flavia Pennetta. Seeded sixth at the 100k tournament in Tokyo, McHale was defeated in the first round by Laura Robson. Entering the Japan Women's Open as a qualifier, she lost her first-round match to seventh seed Iveta Benešová. Seeded second at the 50k tournament in Toronto, she was defeated in the first round by Gabriela Dabrowski. Seeded eighth at the 75k tournament in Phoenix, McHale lost in the quarterfinal round to Irina Falconi.
She ended the year ranked world No. 115.
2011
McHale began the season at the Brisbane International. After losing in the final round of qualifying to Lucie Hradecká, she entered the main draw as a lucky loser and was defeated in the first round by Roberta Vinci. In Sydney, McHale lost in the first round of qualifying to Karolina Šprem. At the Australian Open, she was defeated in the first round by Carla Suárez Navarro.
At the Midland Tennis Classic, McHale lost in the first round to Anastasia Pivovarova. Playing in Memphis at the Cellular South Cup, she was defeated in the first round by seventh seed Renata Voráčová. In Mexico at the Monterrey Open, McHale lost in the second round of qualifying to Jamie Hampton. Playing at the Indian Wells Open, McHale upset 11th seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in the second round, before being defeated in the third by Nadia Petrova. At the Miami Open, McHale lost in the final round of qualifying to Jelena Dokic. Seeded fourth at the 25k tournament in Pelham, Alabama, McHale reached the quarterfinal, in which she was defeated by Caroline Garcia.
McHale started her preparation for the French Open at the Charleston Open. She advanced to the quarterfinals with victories over qualifier Heather Watson, eighth seed Alisa Kleybanova, and tenth seed Daniela Hantuchová. She lost in her quarterfinal match to third seed and 2007 champion Jelena Janković. During the Fed Cup tie against Germany, McHale lost both of her rubbers to Andrea Petkovic and Sabine Lisicki. Germany ended up winning the tie over the USA 5–0. Getting past qualifying at the Italian Open, McHale was defeated in the second round by second seed Francesca Schiavone. At the Internationaux de Strasbourg, McHale lost in the final round of qualifying to Ahsha Rolle; however, she still entered the main draw as a lucky loser, and was defeated in the first round by qualifier Mirjana Lučić. At the French Open, she lost in a first-round thriller to Sara Errani.
Coming through qualifying at the Internazionale di Roma, McHale won the tournament beating Ekaterina Ivanova in the final.
At her first event of the grass-court season, the Birmingham Classic, she was defeated in the second round by seventh seed Sara Errani. In Eastbourne at the Eastbourne International, McHale fell in the second round of qualifying to Anabel Medina Garrigues. At the Wimbledon Championships, she won her second Grand Slam match by defeating 28th seed Ekaterina Makarova in the first round. She lost in the second round to Tamira Paszek.
Starting her preparation for the US Open at the Stanford Classic, McHale was defeated in the second round by eighth seed Dominika Cibulková. At the San Diego Open, she reached the quarterfinals where she lost to third seed and eventual champion Agnieszka Radwańska. Playing in Cincinnati at the Western & Southern Open, McHale stunned top seed Caroline Wozniacki in her second-round match. She was defeated in the third round by Nadia Petrova. At the New Haven Open at Yale, McHale upset sixth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in the first round. She then lost in her quarterfinal match to top seed and three-time champion Caroline Wozniacki. Competing in New York at the US Open, McHale beat eighth seed Marion Bartoli in the second round. She was defeated in the third round by 25th seed Maria Kirilenko.
In Tokyo at the Pan Pacific Open, McHale lost in the second round to tenth seed Peng Shuai. Sliding past qualifying at the China Open, she was defeated in the second round by eighth seed Marion Bartoli. McHale competed in her final tournament of the season at the Japan Women's Open. Seeded eighth, she lost in the first round to defending champion Tamarine Tanasugarn.
McHale ended the year ranked world No. 42.
2012
McHale kicked off her 2012 season at the Auckland Open where she lost in the second round to third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova. At the Australian Open, McHale upset 24th seed Lucie Šafářová in the first round. She won her second-round match against Marina Erakovic, before being defeated by 13th seed Jelena Janković.
In February, McHale played in the Fed Cup tie against Belarus. She won both of her matches over Anastasiya Yakimova and Darya Kustova. In the end, the USA defeated Belarus 5–0. At the Open GdF Suez, McHale reached the second round where she lost to Yanina Wickmayer. Playing in Doha at the Qatar Open, McHale reached the quarterfinal where she was defeated by fourth seed Agnieszka Radwańska. Seeded 32nd at Indian Wells, McHale got a bye to the second round, and won her match over Elena Vesnina. In the third round, she stunned third seed Petra Kvitová. McHale's run came to an end when she lost in the fourth round to 18th seed Angelique Kerber. McHale wrapped up March by playing at the Miami Open. She was defeated in the second round by 29th seed Petra Cetkovská.
McHale started her clay-court season in Charleston at the Family Circle Cup. Seeded 11th, she lost in the first round to Aleksandra Wozniak. She was then selected for the Fed Cup World Group Tie in Kharkiv, Ukraine. McHale won both of her rubbers over Lesia Tsurenko and Elina Svitolina. The USA went on to defeat Ukraine 5–0. At the Madrid Open, McHale was defeated in the second round by fifth seed Sam Stosur. In Rome at the Italian Open, McHale lost in the second round to second seed, defending champion, and eventual champion Maria Sharapova. At the Brussels Open, she was defeated in the first round by fourth seed Dominika Cibulková. Competing at the French Open, McHale won her first two rounds over qualifiers Kiki Bertens and Lauren Davis, the lost in the third round to seventh seed and defending champion Li Na.