From Madison Keys to Peyton Stearns: American women dominating the WTA Race

American players have been thriving on the WTA Tour this season, led by Australian Open champion Madison Keys, who joined regular top-10 stars Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff at the top of the game. But they are far from the only ones making headlines in 2025.

The Americans currently have five players in the top 12 of the Live WTA Race, and eight inside the top 24. While Gauff and Pegula have been consistent forces since 2022, many of their compatriots had struggled in recent years to maintain high rankings. That narrative is changing fast.

The WTA Race ranks players based solely on points earned during the calendar year. It's currently led by Aryna Sabalenka (5,120 points), but hot on her heels is none other than Madison Keys, whose Grand Slam title in Melbourne gave her a huge boost.

Not far behind are Jessica Pegula (5th) and Coco Gauff (6th)—no surprises there, as both have been WTA mainstays for several seasons. Joining them is 23-year-old Emma Navarro in 9th place, having steadily broken into the top tier over the past year.

The fifth American in the mix is Amanda Anisimova, currently 12th in the Race—just 20 points shy of the top 10. The 23-year-old claimed her first WTA 1000 title this year at the Qatar Open, giving her ranking a major push. She’s now the top seed at the WTA 125 Paris, and just a couple of wins could propel her into the Race’s top 10 next week.

Another notable name is Sofia Kenin, a former Australian Open champion, who reached the final of the Charleston Open (WTA 500) earlier this year—losing to Pegula. The 24-year-old is finding her rhythm again and currently sits 19th in the Race. Joining her is rising star Ashlyn Krueger (No. 23), a 21-year-old who impressed with a run to the WTA 500 Abu Dhabi final a few months ago.

The latest American to crash the party is 23-year-old Peyton Stearns, who jumped 26 spots in the Race this week after reaching her first WTA 1000 semifinal at the Rome Open. Along the way, she defeated the likes of Madison Keys and Elina Svitolina, and will now face local favourite Jasmine Paolini. Stearns has climbed to No. 24 in the Race, becoming the 8th American in the top 25 this season.