Top 5 Players Who Jumped In WTA Rankings In 2024

The 2024 tennis season saw some incredible changes in the WTA rankings. Players from all over the world fought hard on the courts, and some made huge leaps in their rankings. Among these players, Naomi Osaka’s jump from being unranked to No. 58 was one of the most remarkable stories.

Top five women who climbed the most in the WTA rankings in 2024

5. Emma Navarro – From No. 31 to No. 8

Emma Navarro had a fantastic 2024 season, reaching new heights in her career. She started the year ranked 31 but finished at No. 8 in the WTA rankings. Navarro’s journey began with a semi-final appearance in Auckland and her first WTA title in Hobart. She defeated Elise Mertens in the final to win the Hobart International. This victory marked a great start to her season.

Navarro also made it to the semi-finals at both the Toronto WTA 1000 and the US Open. Her impressive run in New York included beating defending champion Coco Gauff in the quarter-finals before losing to Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals.

4. Anna Kalinskaya – From No. 80 to No. 14

Anna Kalinskaya also had a breakthrough season in 2024. The Russian player jumped 66 spots, starting the year at No. 80 and finishing at No. 14 in the WTA rankings. In June, she briefly reached a career-high of No. 11 before settling at No. 14.

Kalinskaya made it to two finals this season, in Dubai and Berlin, but fell short of winning a title. She also reached her first Grand Slam quarter-final at the Australian Open, where she was ranked No. 75. This was a significant achievement in her career.

3. Lulu Sun – From No. 214 to No. 39

Lulu Sun, the rising star from New Zealand, had a stunning year in 2024. She climbed from No. 214 to No. 39 in the WTA rankings. Her performance earned her the title of WTA Tour’s Newcomer of the Year.

Sun made it to the quarter-finals of Wimbledon as a qualifier, which was a huge moment for her career. She defeated eighth-seeded Qinwen Zheng in the first round and Emma Raducanu in the last 16 before losing in the quarter-finals. She also reached her first WTA final in Monterrey, Mexico.

2. Emma Raducanu – From No. 301 to No. 57

Emma Raducanu made an incredible comeback in 2024. The British player began the year ranked No. 301, after undergoing surgeries on both her wrists and ankle in 2023. She even dropped to No. 303 in April but fought her way back to finish the year ranked No. 57 in the WTA rankings.

Raducanu had a strong grass-court season and extended her unbeaten run for Great Britain in the Billie Jean King Cup. She didn’t win the Cup for her team, but her personal achievements brought her back to the spotlight.

1. Naomi Osaka – From Unranked to No. 58

The biggest story of 2024 is Naomi Osaka’s return to the WTA rankings. After more than a year away from tennis, Osaka started 2024 unranked. By the end of the season, she had climbed to No. 58. The four-time Grand Slam winner showed flashes of her former brilliance throughout the year.

At the French Open, Osaka almost defeated defending champion Iga Swiatek, coming within a point of a major upset. She also reached the quarter-finals at the WTA 1000 event in Doha, which was her best result of the year.

Conclusion

The 2024 season was filled with remarkable performances from these top players. Whether it was Emma Navarro’s rise to the top 10, Anna Kalinskaya’s consistent push into the top 15, or Naomi Osaka’s stunning comeback, these players made the biggest jumps in the WTA rankings. We look forward to seeing how they perform in 2025 as they aim for even greater success in the world of tennis.

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