Five Players Who Can Make Top 10 Breakthrough On WTA Tour In 2024

The 2024 WTA season promises to be an exciting one, and there are many players seeking to break into the Top 10.

Understandably, the players already at the very top often get the most attention, such as Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka, who recently competed against each other at the World Tennis League in Abu Dhabi.

However, some of the most interesting stories often come from those trying to take the next step to reach the top of the game. Breaking into the top 10 for the first time is an important milestone towards this.

This article lists five players who could have a chance of getting into the WTA Top 10 for the first time if they find their best level, or get even better in 2024.

5. Donna Vekic

27-year-old Vekic had a very strong first six months in 2023. The Croat reached her second Grand Slam quarterfinal at the Australian Open, won the WTA 250 event in Monterrey in March, and was then the runner-up at the German Open in June.

Unfortunately, she struggled after Wimbledon, winning just three more matches in 2023. Vekic finished the year ranked No. 23, just four places below her career best.

She is one of the most aggressive players on the WTA Tour, and if she can find her range and stay consistent for the whole season, a place in the top 10 is not impossible.

4. Ekaterina Alexandrova

The big-serving Alexandrova had her best-ever run at a Grand Slam in 2023 by reaching the Wimbledon fourth round. She also won a title on the grass courts of Hertogenbosch and was the runner-up on the hardcourts of Cleveland.

Alexandrova is currently the world No. 21, and reached a career-high of No. 16 in February this year. The four-time WTA titlist is 29 years old, but she has played the best tennis of her career in the last two years.

Although she is one of the weakest movers in the women’s game, her very powerful game can trouble anyone when she finds her range.

3. Leylah Fernandez

Fernandez, who recently won the Canadian Women’s Player of the Year, has endured tough moments since her famous run to the US Open final in 2021.

There were many difficult spells in 2023, but she rebounded by winning the Hong Kong Open in October, showcasing a more aggressive style. Fernandez followed that by winning the Billie Jean King Cup with Canada.

Fernandez is currently ranked No. 35. However, the US Open runner-up will rise up the rankings very quickly if she repeats her form from the end of the year, and at the age of 21, she has so much time to improve even further.

2. Liudmila Samsonova

25-year-old Samsonova ended the year as the world No. 16, but was as high as No. 12 in February. She reached three finals in 2023, with two of these at the WTA 1000 level in Montreal and Beijing, and the other at a WTA 500 tournament in Abu Dhabi.

Samsonova is another quality server and also possesses one of the best two-handed backhands in the women’s game. If she raises her game even further in 2023 and gets over the line in the finals she reaches, a Top-10 breakthrough is possible.

1. Qinwen Zheng

2023 was another year of great progress for the 21-year-old Zheng. She is one of the most talented players on the WTA Tour and demonstrated that ability by winning her first WTA titles in Palermo and Zhengzhou. The Chinese player then ended the season by being the runner-up at the WTA Elite Trophy.

Zheng finished the season with a career-high ranking of No. 15. She has the attributes needed to be a great player, with a terrific serve, groundstrokes, and variety. Next year could be her time to break into the Top 10.