Christina McHale, one of a handful Hispanic-American women currently ranked in the Top 100 in the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) tour, made huge strides this year as the 2014 season is coming to a close.

Currently ranked 54th, McHale managed to push players like Maria Sharapova, Jelena Jankovic and Flavia Pennetta to the limit this season while also battling her way into her first WTA finals this year at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel tourney in Acapulco.

McHale went down 3-6 in the first set to France's Caroline Garcia before storming back to win 6-2 in the second set and 7-5 in the third set to move on to the Finals.

"One of my favorite matches this year though was my semifinal win over Caroline Garcia in the WTA tournament in Acapulco," McHale told Latin Post. "The fans in Acapulco really love tennis and they got so into the match and it felt unbelievable to get through that battle 7-5 in the third and make my first WTA final."

For the latest sports news, follow @LatinPostSports on Twitter

Born in Teaneck, New Jersey, McHale (whose father is Irish-American and mother is Cuban) lived in Hong Kong after her family moved there when she was 3 years old. It was while in Hong Kong that McHale first became interested in tennis after her mother, Margarita, took McHale and her sister, Lauren, to a game of doubles, allowing the girls to kill time hitting tennis balls. With their interest piqued in the sport, the sisters continued honing their craft practicing in the Hong Kong apartment complex's courts.

By the time McHale's family returned to New Jersey in 2000, the sibling's interest in tennis had grown to the point where Christina dropped other sports -- such as soccer and swimming -- to focus on tennis, becoming an aggressive baseline player who built around her game around her forehand.

Her sister Lauren also became fascinated with the sport during their time in Hong Kong, taking her talents to the University of North Carolina, where she went on to become one of the Top 20 tennis players in the country in both singles and doubles competition.

"There isn't a particular player that I modeled my game after but growing up my sister and I loved to watch Venus and Serena play and they were huge inspirations to us," McHale said.

McHale has had success against some of the best names in the sport including Svetlana Kuznetsova, Victoria Azarenka, Petra Kvitová, Caroline Wozniacki (who McHale defeated as she was ranked number one in the world at the time), Nadia Petrova and 2013 Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli.

Her 2011 U.S. Open match against Bartoli was a career highlight for McHale, having earned the victory in her favorite tournament, considering the event's proximity to her home and her family.

"My favorite tournament to play in is the U.S. Open. I live really close so it feels like my hometown event," McHale said. "I've had some really exciting and memorable matches there, but one match in particular was a couple years ago when I played against Marion Bartoli in the second round on the Grandstand court. The crowd and the atmosphere was absolutely electric and they helped pulled me through and win that match."

McHale hopes to continue ascending in the rankings, working hard to win her first ATP tournament next year and taking advice from people such as her U.S. Fed Cup team captain, Mary Joe Fernandez, whom she describes as a "positive and encouraging influence" who takes time to give her advice on her game, looking forward to having as long a career as Fernandez.

"Hopefully, 10 years from now I'll have a few grand slam trophies sitting at my house," McHale said. "I also hope to still be competing and be healthy, fit and injury free."

FOR MORE SPORTS NEWS VISIT LATINPOST.COM'S SPORTS PAGE

Related