Gabi Taylor's Inspiring Journey
Former grantee Gabi Taylor has devoted the majority of her life to the game of tennis and traveling the world on tour. She climbed the ranks to a career high of 162 at the end of 2018, the same year she was
selected for Great Britain's Billie Jean King Cup team for a tie against Japan. Gabi claimed six singles and two doubles titles on the ITF circuit placing her among the top female players in GB.
Towards the end of 2020 when the second lockdown hit, Gabi announced via her social media channels that she was to prioritise her mental well-being and step away from the tour. She asked her fans for respect while she navigated this new path and with the support of those closest to her she began the journey to pursue other passions.
Away from the court, Gabi had time to invest in one of her many talents, painting. Starting off with a few experimental pieces she began to build up the confidence to complete a collection of private commissions and make a business out of it, with part of the profits going towards animal charities. A selection of her paintings are on display at a gallery in Winchester and she continues to post some of her work on instagram @gabitaylorart
Talking to BBC South Today's Andrew Moon, Gabi said “There's a lot on my plate, but I'm really enjoying life at the moment and really grateful for the opportunities. It wouldn't have even crossed my mind to be doing what I am now such a short time ago. It's been an awesome experience and such a life-changer. I'm still learning the basics and trying to find my artistic style, but I'm grateful to (artist) Daniel Hooper for his help and direction, as it takes a lot of patience to build up your skills.”
We are extremely proud of Gabi’s bravery to acknowledge the struggles she has endured and to speak so openly about the importance of mental health, especially among athletes. We look forward to following her journey and hope our Tennis First network can also show their support too.
You can watch the interview with Gabi here.
