The 2024 WTA season was iconic, with Aryna Sabalenka emerging as the top player, replacing Iga Swiatek, who also famously failed at the Olympics. There is plenty to look forward to in 2025, and this guide will help you understand what to expect in the upcoming 2025 season.
General Overview
The 2025 season promises to be even more exciting than the 2024 season. There are a couple of things to note. First of all, expect top names like Swiatek, Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, and Coco Gauff to be even better next year because that’s the natural progression.
They are players who work really hard on their game, and every year they become better, which should increase the number of epic matches we’ll get. There are also other players who are slowly but surely stepping up, with Olympic Champion Qinwen Zheng at the forefront.
Rising star Mirra Andreeva has shined in the first week of the new season, and she might be a new name in the top 10 this year. Other players like Karolina Muchova and Jasmine Paolini will want to prove they belong at the top, and don’t forget veterans like Jessica Pegula.
It promises to be a super exciting season – it’s been years since the WTA Tour saw this kind of caliber competing regularly. What’s even better is that there is great parity, where anybody can beat anybody, and it doesn’t really get better than that. Keep reading to find out some of the more nuanced takes about the upcoming season.
Sabalenka vs Swiatek rivalry
The Sabalenka vs Swiatek rivalry wrote some fascinating chapters in the last season. There were three matches in total, and what made these ones special is the fact that two of those were finals and one was a semi-final.
All of them were fantastic matches, especially the one in Madrid, which Swiatek barely won. It was the first time she beat Sabalenka in Madrid – they had played there before, and Sabalenka won that one easily.
The most recent match happened in Cincinnati and was won by Sabalenka, who was ascending to the top of the tennis world at that time. Both of them have worked a lot on their games in the offseason and started this new season with four wins in four matches, which is a wonderful tease of what’s to be expected.
Sabalenka and Swiatek are the top players in the world, and are only getting better and better. That means the matches are going to get better and better, and with the way the draws are set up, expect more than three matches in 2025, which is super exciting for all proper tennis fans.
Can Coco Gauff Emerge on Top?
One player that has flown under the radar in 2024 is Coco Gauff. While she did win the US Open in 2023, nobody really expected much from Gauff in 2024. She certainly did have some issues in 2024, failing in a few big spots, but overall the American still took a huge step forward.
She improved her win/loss record from 51-16 to 54-17, and while that might not seem like much, the details matter. She won a couple of big events, most notably the WTA Finals in Riyadh, which featured all the best in the world. That was a massive thing for Gauff, and now it’s about taking a step forward.
Gauff been able to do that each year, but this next step is the hardest one. She has to eclipse both Swiatek and Sabalenka, becoming the best player in the world—that’s certainly something easier said than done.
It will require her to turn into a consistent Grand Slam performer and a winner as well. Nobody truly believes that she would remain at one Grand Slam for the rest of her career, but it’s this year that number two has to come.
Her emergence as arguably the best player in the world will be a storyline worth following throughout much of the year, and it wouldn’t be shocking for it to unfold similarly to how Swiatek’s happened a couple of years ago.
Who Wins the Grand Slams?
Two of the four Grand Slams in 2024 were won by Sabalenka. One was won by Barbora Krejcikova, and Swiatek won the other. Will these players win those Grand Slams again? It’s a very good question, and one we’re going to dive deeper into.
Australian Open
Sabalenka has dominated at the Australian Open in the past two years, and she’s very likely to do that again. Even so, there are other players that could step up and possibly deliver a shocking performance to snatch it away from her.
In fact, we’re going to go ahead and predict Gauff to win it. The American will have massive momentum after finishing last year on a high note, and it’s a surface where she can excel and has done well in the past. If things fall into place, don’t be shocked if Gauff wins it. Check also our guide to betting on the Australian Open.
French Open
When it comes to the French Open, it’s been Swiatek for years. A couple of players have proven capable of possibly disrupting her dominance at the event, as Karolina Muchova came close to beating her last year, but we think that Swiatek will be able to hold onto that one.
She’s a player whose game is essentially tailor-made for clay tennis, and there is a certain dose of comfort for her at the French Open, which isn’t going away easily. Overall, she’s the female Rafael Nadal, and history has shown him to be pretty unbeatable in Paris. The same goes for Swiatek.
Wimbledon
This is the Grand Slam that could be won by a couple of players. Krejcikova somewhat stunningly won it last year, but we doubt it will happen again. We actually think it’s going to be Gauff again because the American loves to play on grass.
She has a serve that’s been gaining power over the years, and with a dedicated program in the offseason, the American likely made it an even bigger weapon. If she can find her serve for those two weeks, she could very well outplay everybody because very few players are as nifty around the courts as Gauff is.
Nifty is what you need to be on the grass, so Gauff to win Wimbledon 2025 is our pick.
US Open
The US Open was won by Sabalenka in 2024 and Gauff the year before that. It was Swiatek the year before that, so it seems like it’s going to be another player in 2025. We think it’s going to be Gauff because by that time in the year, the American will likely have ascended to becoming the best player in the world.
There is simply a lot to like about how she finished the 2024 season, and with a good start in 2025, there shouldn’t be a shortage of confidence for her. There was never a shortage of skill either, so expect Gauff to add a second US Open trophy to her collection.
How Far Will Mirra Andreeva Go?
Mirra Andreeva (photo on the right) is a name many will wonder about in 2025. The Russian has shown tremendous improvement last year after a stunning debut season in 2023. Not only has she solidified herself as a proper professional, but she has also proven to be very capable of playing with the best.
Her win total went from 38 to 37, but most of her wins in 2024 were more meaningful than the ones in 2023. She made her maiden Grand Slam semi-final, beating Sabalenka along the way. She also won her maiden trophy in 2024, and now she’s set for a proper breakout in 2025.
Common sense would make you believe that she’ll likely finish the year in the top 10, and that’s not crazy to think at all.She has the tools to become one of the better players in the world, and she’ll be able to play a full calendar in 2025, which should certainly help her improve her ranking.
Expect her to have a dramatic rise similar to what Paolini had in 2024.
Which Players Will Win the Most Trophies?
This is a pretty fun one because it doesn’t always have to be the top name. Casper Ruud was famously called an ATP 250 mercenary by Nick Kyrgios for winning many of those events, and something similar could happen on the WTA Tour as well.
Take last year, for example. Sabalenka was the player with the most finals, having made seven, but she didn’t finish the year with the most trophies. That was Swiatek, who won five trophies in 2024. Sabalenka finished second with four trophies, which is the same number Diana Shnaider won as well. Gauff was right behind them with three.
When it comes to this upcoming season, we think it will be the year of Gauff. Don’t be surprised to see the American win up to six or seven trophies in 2025 because she is expected to improve upon her previous mark. If she won three in 2024, she could easily double that in 2025.
Swiatek should be right behind her because she does play a couple of the smaller events, and the clay season is rather long. Andreeva could be in the mix too, because we don’t think the Russian will win more than one trophy in 2025.
What Will the Top 10 Look Like at the End of the Year?
To conclude this preview, we’re going to make a rather bold prediction. We’re going to predict how the top 10 might look after the 2025 season. Check it out below:
1. Coco Gauff
Winning multiple trophies and possibly up to three Grand Slams should be enough for Gauff to finish the year as the best player in the world. It’s the year of Gauff, and we would be very surprised if the American doesn’t get it done.
2. Iga Swiatek
The consistency that Swiatek demonstrated over the years and getting the French Open should be enough for her to hold onto the number two spot in the rankings. There is even a universe where she can be number one as well. The margins will decide.
3. Aryna Sabalenka
Sabalenka is simply too good to fall behind too much because she’ll always be making at least quarter-finals or semi-finals. This should be enough to secure a really solid ranking after the 2025 season.
4. Mirra Andreeva
We think this supertalent will finally ascend to become one of the better players in the world. Having a chance to play a full calendar will give her a chance to earn lots of points, and that’s simply going to solidify her ranking spot even further.
5. Elena Rybakina
Rybakina is another player that is too solid to fall behind too much. She’ll always be good for a couple of deep runs every year, and that should be enough to remain one of the best players in the world.
6. Qinwen Zheng
We expect Zheng to take a minor step back, not because she’s not a good player, but because some other players will ascend. She’s still very raw and might need a bit more time to fine-tune her game into something more sustainable.
7. Diana Shnaider
This is arguably our boldest prediction yet, but there is simply too much to like with Shnaider. She’s a fierce competitor who has proven capable of winning after collecting four trophies in 2024. Expect that to continue in 2025, and her ranking will reflect that.
8. Jasmine Paolini
Paolini has been playing superb tennis for too long for it to be a coincidence. Expect her to continue with really solid performances in 2025, enough to keep herself in the top 10, where she realistically belongs.
9. Paula Badosa
Barring any major health setbacks with her back, Badosa should be able to find her way back into the top 10. Her level for much of last year was really good, and if she remains healthy, she will be back there.
10. Katie Boulter
Another newcomer is Boulter, who has been doing really solidly for over a year. She has steadily improved to become a really tough competitor on any surface. Her hard court- and grass skills should help her break through into the top 10 for the first time in her life.
