Caty McNally
A formidable doubles specialist with a disruptive net game, she has become a crucial partner in some of tennis's most exciting new pairings.
Born 2001 (age 25)·American tennis player·Birthday: November 20·Generation Z
Biography
Caty McNally announced herself to the tennis world not with a quiet whisper, but with a volley. Known for her aggressive serve-and-volley style—a rarity in the modern baseline game—she carved out early success in doubles. Her partnership with childhood friend Coco Gauff captured imaginations, taking them to the 2021 US Open final as teenagers. McNally has proven her doubles prowess is no fluke, reaching another US Open final with Taylor Townsend and securing multiple WTA titles. While her singles career has seen promising flashes, including a top-60 ranking, it's at the net where she has truly shone, bringing old-school tactics and fierce competitiveness to the women's tour and establishing herself as a doubles anchor.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Caty was born in 2001, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Caty Was Born
The biggest hits of 2001
#1 Movie
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Best Picture
A Beautiful Mind
#1 TV Show
Survivor
Caty's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
2001Born
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2006Started school
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2014Became a teenager
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2017Could drive
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2019Could vote
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2022Turned 21
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 25 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Reached the women's doubles final at the US Open twice, in 2021 with Coco Gauff and in 2022 with Taylor Townsend.
- Won nine WTA Tour doubles titles, including three with Coco Gauff.
- Achieved a career-high doubles ranking of world No. 11 in April 2022.
- Won two WTA 125K series singles titles, in Chicago and Columbus.
Did You Know?
Her mother, Lynn, was a professional tennis player who competed at Wimbledon.
She and Coco Gauff have been friends since they were young children training in Florida.
Her playing style has earned her the nickname 'McCoco' when paired with Gauff, and more generally, 'The Mack' for her disruptive net play.
“I rush the net because the point is won at the tape, not the baseline.”
