Meet CiCi Bellis, the former teen tennis sensation taking the financial world by storm

CiCi Bellis was once a teenage sensation in the world of tennis, but had to retire before she could reach the absolute top. However, she found a way to fulfill her dreams in other areas of life. Read on to discover Bellis's extraordinary story.

She was born in San Francisco on 8 April 1999 Catherine Cartan 'CiCi' Bellis.

Bellis started playing tennis at a very young age and quickly showed her exceptional talent as a teenager.

Despite not winning a Grand Slam, her junior career was prolific.

Amongst other triumphs, she claimed the renowned Les Petits As junior tournament in France.

Her good performances as a junior allowed her to move up the ranking and reach world No. 1.

In doing so, she also claimed the 2014 ITF World Champion award.

In 2014, she made her Grand Slam debut after receiving a wildcard for the US Open.

Bellis immediately made her mark and reached the second round by beating Dominika Cibulková, after which she lost to Zarina Diyas in three sets.

However, she had made a name for herself by becoming the youngest player since Anna Kournikova (pictured) in 1996 to win a match at the US Open. Like Bellis, the Russian was just 15 at the time.

In 2016, Bellis reached another milestone in her career when she reached the third round at the US Open.

After a number of tournaments win, Bellis would then break into the top 100 for the first time in her career, finishing the season world No. 75.

Bellis had high hopes for 2017, but injuries forced her to withdraw from the Australian Open, delaying her season's start.

She then came back stronger than ever, beating top-ten players Agnieszka Radwańska and Svetlana Kuznetsova and rising to world No. 35, her highest position in her career.

Her good year earned her the WTA Newcomer of the Year award. The future looked bright for Bellis, but the two following years would not bring the expected success.

In 2018 and 2019, Bellis was plagued by injuries, forcing her to undergo several surgeries and being sidelined for 18 months.

She made her comeback in November 2019 at the Houston Challenger, where she made it to the third round.

Her Grand Slam comeback was at the 2020 Australian Open, where she reached the third round, equalling her best ever Grand Slam result.

In 2021, Bellis continued to struggle with injuries, however, after which she decided to retire from professional tennis in January 2022 at the age of just 22.

She explained her decision on Instagram. "I wanted to give a quick update as I haven’t been on the tennis court for a while. Last year, after seeing little to no improvement with my arm, I made the decision to stop playing tennis. I had been in the same cycle of rehab, training and injuries for three plus years and mentally/physically just couldn’t do it anymore."

Bellis retired with six ITF titles and one WTA 125 title to her name.

As Bellis announced her retirement, she also gave an update on her plans for the future. "I’m currently completing my business/finance college degree (graduating in 3 months), and an MBA will follow. I’m working full time as an investment analyst for @leadsportsofficial - a VC firm designed to support and grow early-stage sports & health tech startups," she wrote.

Picture credit: Instagram, @cicibellis

She also started working as a broadcaster for Tennis Channel.

After her experience as an investment analyst, Bellis took the next step by founding her own venture capital firm, Cartan Capital.

"With my background in pro sports, venture capital and broadcasting, in addition to my team’s extensive expertise, we are ready to bring a unique perspective to support promising startups in these sectors. Let’s do this!," she couldn't hide her excitement on Instagram.

Picture credit: Instagram, @cicibellis

Bellis is active on social media, where her fans can follow her private life.

Picture credit: Instagram, @cicibellis

In March 2022, she got married to Sam Riffice, with whom she had been together for a long time.

Picture credit: Instagram, @cicibellis

Although an injury forced her to retire before she could fulfil her wildest tennis dreams, Bellis seems comfortable in her new life and is preparing to conquer the world outside the tennis court.