The
conclusion of the 2024
Australian Open saw several WTA players achieving new
career highs, including finalist Qinwen Zheng and other young talents like
Mirra Andreeva and
Marta Kostyuk. The tournament featured several surprises
with the early exits of several top-seeded players, providing opportunities for
new faces to advance to the later rounds in Melbourne.
The most
notable case is that of 21-year-old Chinese player Zheng, who reached her first
Grand Slam final. Despite falling to Aryna Sabalenka, Zheng achieved her
highest ranking as the world No. 7, making her debut in the top-10. In a
tournament where young players stood out, several tennis talents under 23 years
old were among the main beneficiaries.
Sixteen-year-old
prodigy Mirra Andreeva reached the fourth round, gaining 12 positions to become
the new world No. 35. The Russian was defeated by 19-year-old
Linda Noskova, a
young surprise who rose 30 positions to become the new world No. 30 after reaching
the quarterfinals. Marta Kostyuk also reached the quarterfinals and, at 21
years old, will debut in the top-30.
Brenda
Fruhvirtova (16 years old) and Maria Timofeva (20 years old) will also make
their debut in the top-100, with Timofeeva being one of the surprises in
Australia, reaching the fourth round and climbing 70 positions.
It wasn't
just the youngest players who emerged with new career-high rankings from the
tournament. Notable mentions include Victoriya Tomova, who turns 29 in just a
month and will be the new world No. 65. Twenty-six-year-old Magdalena Frech
also delivered the best performance of her career in a Grand Slam, narrowly
missing the top-50.
Here is the
breakdown of the players within the top-100 who achieved their new career
highs:
Name | New Career High | Age |
Qinwen Zheng | 7 (top-10 debut) | 21 |
Emma Navarro | 23 | 22 |
Jasmine Paolini | 24 | 28 |
Marta Kostyuk | 28 (top-30 debut) | 21 |
Linda Noskova | 30 | 19 |
Mirra Andreeva | 35 | 16 |
Anna Kalinskaya | 38 (top-50 debut) | 25 |
Magdalena Frech | 51 | 26 |
Victoriya Tomova | 65 | 28 |
Brenda Fruhvirtova | 96 | 16 |
Maria Timofeeva | 100 | 20 |