Most notable jumps of the season: Osaka and Raducanu among the stars making waves in 2024

In a year marked by several comebacks, Naomi Osaka, Emma Raducanu, Paula Badosa, and Amanda Anisimova closed the season on a positive note and threaten to climb even higher in 2025. As the WTA season wraps up, let’s take a look at some of the most remarkable ranking surges.

While Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, and Zheng Qinwen stole the spotlight in 2024, several seasoned players regained their footing in the rankings, hinting at a promising return to top-tier tennis in 2025.

The former World No. 1 spent a significant time away from the court. After winning her fourth Grand Slam at the 2021 US Open, her results declined, leading to a break due to mental health challenges. She later announced her pregnancy and extended her hiatus until the start of this season, beginning the year ranked World No. 833.

Osaka had a solid 22-18 record in 2024, peaking at World No. 58 and finishing the year ranked No. 60. She reached the quarterfinals at the Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championships and the fourth round at the China Open, securing victories over top-20 players like Daria Kasatkina, Ons Jabeur, Jelena Ostapenko, and Elina Svitolina. One of her standout moments was pushing Iga Swiatek to the brink at Roland Garros, where she squandered a match point against arguably the best clay-court player of the past two decades.

Raducanu’s meteoric rise to win the 2021 US Open catapulted her into tennis stardom, but injuries and inconsistency prevented her from returning to a final since. After undergoing surgeries in 2023 to resolve physical issues, the 22-year-old began 2024 ranked outside the top 300. Despite a limited schedule, she climbed to World No. 54, finishing at No. 59.

Raducanu played only three of the ten WTA 1000 events this year, missing the French Open and crucial opportunities to accumulate points. Nevertheless, she excelled for Great Britain in the Billie Jean King Cup, going undefeated in five singles matches. She also reached the fourth round at Wimbledon and scored notable wins against Maria Sakkari and Jessica Pegula, setting herself up for a Grand Slam and WTA 1000 entry in 2025 without the need for wildcards.

Perhaps the most remarkable comeback of the year, Badosa surged from World No. 140 to No. 12 by year’s end. After a back injury sidelined her for six months in 2023, the Spaniard took time to find her rhythm but finished the season strong.

Badosa reached semifinals at the Cincinnati Open and Beijing Open, won the WTA 500 DC Open, and made the US Open quarterfinals. With a 37-18 record and over $2 million in prize money, Badosa is set to be seeded at the upcoming majors and has a strong start to 2025 with few points to defend early in the season.

Anisimova, at just 23, already has significant Tour experience. After pausing her career in 2023 due to mental health struggles, she returned in 2024 ranked World No. 442. Within weeks, she had climbed back near the top 200.

The American’s highlight was reaching her first WTA 1000 final at the Canadian Open, where she fell to Jessica Pegula. Unfortunately, a mid-match injury at the Wuhan Open cut her season short. With a 21-13 record, she secured wins over top players such as Aryna Sabalenka, Daria Kasatkina, Emma Navarro, and Paula Badosa.