As things are already underway in the new season (and in a few WTA cases, "Baby New Year" is already sporting a proverbial five o'clock shadow), here's Backspin's annual January attempt to peer into the future and predict the news before the news takes place.
FIRST-TIME IN-SEASON TOP 10 JUMPS: Ekaterina Alexandrova/RUS, Beatriz Haddad Maia/BRA, Liudmila Samsonova/RUS, Zheng Qinwen/CHN
FIRST-TIME IN-SEASON TOP 20 JUMPS: Marie Bouzkova/CZE, Jule Niemeier/GER, Jil Teichmann/SUI, Shelby Rogers/USA, Zheng Qinwen/CHN
FIRST-TIME IN-SEASON TOP 50 JUMPS: Anna Blinkova/RUS, Lucia Bronzetti/ITA, Clara Burel/FRA, Elisabetta Cocciaretto/ITA, Linda Fruhvirtova/CZE, Varvara Gracheva/RUS, Kaja Juvan/SLO, Caty McNally/USA, Jule Niemeier/GER, Linda Noskova/CZE, Alycia Parks/USA, Diane Parry/FRA, Wang Xinyu/CHN, Yuan Yue/CHN
FIRST-TIME IN-SEASON TOP 100 JUMPS: Erika Andreeva/RUS, Elina Avanesyan/RUS, Sara Bejlek/CZE, Brenda Fruhvirtova/CZE, Storm Hunter/AUS, Victoria Jiménez Kasintseva/AND, Eva Lys/GER, Elli Mandlik/USA, Petra Marcinko/CRO, Rebeka Masarova/ESP, Katrina Scott/USA, Diana Shnaider/RUS, Daria Snigur/UKR, Lucrezia Stefanini/ITA, Moyuka Uchijima/JPN
...a junior achiever who won a pair of GD crowns alongside Marketa Vondrousova in 2015, the now 25-year old Czech reteamed with her countrywoman late in '22 and picked up $100K and $80K crowns and reached a 125 final, as well as winning her maiden tour WD title with another Czech (Anastasia Detiuc) a few weeks earlier. Now in the Top 100 in doubles, Kolodziejova (whether she partners regularly with Vondrousova, ala past junior star duo Krejcikova/Siniakova, or not -- though they look to be in the early '23 draws), she should have no trouble finding a slew of other Czechs to play with as she (maybe) can take her turn in following the not-long-ago (i.e. pre singles build-up) path of a doubles-focused -- and super successful -- Barbora Krejcikova. 2.Yuan Yue, CHN
...everyone has come to know Zheng Qinwen and can see the Wangs coming around the corner, but Yuan showed herself to be a Chinese player to keep an eye on in '22, reaching the U.S. Open 3rd Round and playing in five $60K+ challenger finals (winning two) as she climbed into the Top 100. 3.Eva Lys, GER
...the soon-to-turn-21 (Jan.12) year old German began to make a move late in '22, winning her biggest title ($60K) and reaching her biggest final ($100K). Kyiv-born (her father played Davis Cup for UKR), she made her tour debut last year in Stuttgart (def. Golubic) and in '23 will be looking to make her slam MD debut while cracking the Top 100. 4.Polina Kudermetova, RUS
...you know Veronika, but what about her 19-year old sister? A former Top 5 junior, Polina claimed four ITF singles crowns in '22 while rising into the Top 200. She and Veronika are expected to play WD on the tour level at some point in '23. 5.Oksana Selekhmeteva, RUS
...a two-time GD slam winner (and two-time GS slam semifinalist), the 19-year old cracked the singles Top 200 in '22, won a $60K (def. Baindl in the final) and made her slam MD debut in Paris. HM-Erika Andreeva/RUS, Selena Janicijevic/FRA, Moyuka Uchijima/JPN, Wei Sijia/CHN and Tara Wurth/CRO
...18-year old Andreeva reached the '21 RG girls' final and finished '22 at #118 in the WTA rankings after reaching a $100K final and qualifying at the U.S. Open to make her slam MD debut. Janicijevic went 5-2 in ITF finals. Uchijima won a pair of $60K crowns and twice just missed out on slam MD (falling in the Q3 in Paris and NYC). 19-year old Wei won six challenger crowns (tied for second behing B.Fruhvirtova for the circuit lead). Wurth reached four ITF finals (winning two, one a $60K).
==PREVIOUS "PWNYK" LISTS==
-2017-
1.Jana Fett, CRO
2.Dalma Galfi, HUN
-2018-
Viktoria Kuzmova, SVK
-2019-
1.Kaja Juvan, SLO
2.Ivana Jorovic, SRB
3.Katie Boulter, GBR
4.Fiona Ferro, FRA
5.Viktoriia Dema, UKR
-2020-
1.Varvara Gracheva, RUS
2.Elisabetta Cocciaretto, ITA
3.Liudmila Samsonova, RUS
4.Hailey Baptiste, USA
5.Usue Arconada, USA
-2021-
1.Kamilla Rakhimova, RUS
2.Katrina Scott, USA
3.Carole Monnet, FRA
4.Robin Montgomery, USA
5.Matilda Mutavdzic, GBR
-2022-
1.Olivia Gadecki, AUS
2.Anastasia Gasanova, RUS
3.Zheng Qinwen, CHN
4.Daniela Vismane, LAT
5.Alycia Parks, USA
NEWCOMERS OF THE YEAR: Erika Andreeva/RUS, Maja Chwalinska/POL, Lizzy de Greef/NED (WC), Brenda Fruhvirtova/CZE, Eva Lys/GER, Petra Marcinko/CRO, Diana Shnaider/RUS, Oksana Selekhmeteva/RUS, Daria Snigur/UKR, Natalia Szabanin/HUN
MOST IMPROVED PLAYERS: Anna Blinkova/RUS, Lucia Bronzetti/ITA, Clara Burel/FRA, Elisabetta Cocciaretto/ITA, Shiori Funamizu/JPN (WC), Miriam Kolodziejova/CZE (d), Rebeka Masarova/ESP, Caty McNally/USA, Jule Niemeier/GER, Linda Noskova/CZE, Alycia Parks/USA, Diane Parry/FRA, Shelby Rogers/USA, Yuan Yue/CHN
SURPRISE PLAYERS: Nuria Brancaccio/ITA, Sophie Chang/USA, Séléna Janicijevic/FRA, Suzan Lamens/NED, Lily Miyazaki/GBR, Jessika Ponchet/FRA, Peyton Stearns/USA, Lucrezia Stefanini/ITA, Moyuka Uchijima/JPN, Tara Wurth/CRO
COMEBACKS: Aoyama/Shibahara (JPN/JPN), Jaqueline Cristian/ROU, Fiona Ferro/FRA, Hsieh Su-wei/TPE (d), Ann Li/USA, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova/RUS, Astra Sharma/AUS, Luisa Stefani/BRA (d), Clara Tauson/DEN, Marketa Vondrousova/CZE
ITF ACHIEVERS: Mirra Andreeva/RUS, Elina Avanesyan/RUS, Sara Bejlek/CZE, Sofia Costoulas/BEL, Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva/AND, Sinja Kraus/POL, Polina Kudermetova/RUS, Ipek Oz/TUR, Matilde Paoletti/ITA, Priska Madelyn Nugroho/INA, Lola Radivojevic/SRB, Tara Wurth/CRO, Anastasia Zakharova/RUS
JUNIORS TO WATCH: Cadence Brace/CAN, Nikola Daubnerová/SVK, Iva Jovic/USA, Olivia Lincer/POL, Victoria Mboko/CAN, Clervie Ngounoue/USA, Kaitlin Quevedo/USA, Mia Ristic/CRO, Sara Saito/JPN, Laura Samsonova/CZE, Ella Seidel/GER, Luca Udvardy/HUN, Tereza Valentova/CZE, Nina Vargova/SVK
COACH OF THE YEAR: Anton Dubrov (Sabalenka), Alessandro Dumitrache (L.Samsonova), Christopher Kas (Niemeier), Vladimír Pláteník/Sergei Demekhine (V.Kudermetova), Pere Riba (Zheng Qinwen), Piotr Sierzputowski (Rogers)
NCAA CHAMPION WATCH: Fiona Crawley (North Carolina), Connie Ma (Stanford), Allura Zamarripa (Texas)
FIRST-TIME SLAM WINNERS: Ons Jabeur/TUN, Aryna Sabalenka/BLR
FIRST-TIME SLAM FINALISTS: Aryna Sabalenka/BLR, Liudmila Samsonova/RUS, Zheng Qinwen/CHN
FIRST-TIME SLAM SEMIFINALISTS: Veronika Kudermetova/RUS, Jule Niemeier/GER, Jessie Pegula/USA, Liudmila Samsonova/RUS, Zheng Qinwen/CHN
FIRST-TIME SLAM QUARTERFINALISTS: Ekaterina Alexandrova/RUS, Linda Noskova/CZE, Liudmila Samsonova/RUS, Zheng Qinwen/CHN
FIRST-TIME SLAM ROUND OF 16's: Ekaterina Alexandrova/RUS, Clara Burel/FRA, Harriet Dart/GBR, Linda Fruhvirtova/CZE, Kaja Juvan/SLO, Linda Noskova/CZE, Alycia Parks/USA, Diane Parry/FRA, Wang Xiyu/CHN, Yuan Yue/CHN
NOTABLE FIRST-TIME SLAM 1st ROUND WINNERS: Sara Bejlek/CZE, Anna Bondar/HUN, Brenda Fruhvirtova/CZE, Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva/AND, Ashlyn Krueger/USA, Eva Lys/GER, Petra Marcinko/CRO, Robin Montgomery/USA, Linda Noskova/CZE, Alycia Parks/USA, Nastasja Schunk/GER, Oksana Selekhmeteva/RUS, Diana Shnaider/RUS, Peyton Stearns/USA
FIRST-TIME WTA CHAMPIONS: Lucia Bronzetti/ITA, Elisabetta Cocciaretto/ITA, Kaja Juvan/SLO, Rebecca Marino/CAN, Jule Niemeier/GER, Linda Noskova/CZE, Alycia Parks/USA, Shelby Rogers/USA, Ajla Tomljanovic/AUS, Zheng Qinwen/CHN
FIRST-TIME WTA FINALISTS: Cristina Bucsa/ESP, Elisabetta Cocciaretto/ITA, Storm Hunter/AUS, Anna Kalinskaya/RUS, Marta Kostyuk/UKR, Jule Niemeier/GER, Linda Noskova/CZE, Alycia Parks/USA, Wang Xiyu/CHN, Yuan Yue/CHN
HISTORIC FIRST-TIME WTA SEMIFINALISTS: Alex Eala/PHI (first Filipina), Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva/AND (first Andorran)
HIGHEST RANKED WITHOUT A CAREER TITLE: Storm Hunter/AUS, Wang Xiyu/CHN, Yuan Yue/CHN
HIGHEST RANKED WITHOUT A CAREER FINAL: Caty McNally/USA, Panna Udvardy/HUN, Wang Xinyu/CHN
| 2022 TOP 10 | 2023 thumbnail sketch?... |
|---|---|
| #1 Swiatek | ...briefly loses the #1 ranking during the season, but ends atop the rankings again. Wins major #4 and reaches two slam finals, wins first WTAF crown and three 1000 titles (but doesn't repeat at either Indian Wells or Miami). Leads Poland to (at least) semifinals in BJK Cup. Reaches first QF at Wimbledon, but fails to do the same in U.S. Open title defense. |
| #2 Jabeur | ...is first (you-know-the-drill) to win a slam singles crown *and* (briefly) to reach the women's singles #1 ranking. Reaches two slam finals, including first in Paris. Wins titles on three different surfaces, and reaches QF at all four majors. After pulling W/RU results in Madrid/Rome in '22, sweeps both titles this time around (first since Serena in '13). Reaches four 1000 finals. |
| #3 Pegula | ...wins two singles titles, a 250 and a 500 level event. Reaches first slam semifinal, but loses match after having held MP. Records her first career #1 win (but not with a victory over Iga) en route to her lone 1000 final (she had two 1000 finals in '22). |
| #4 Garcia | ...wins titles on two different surfaces, and reaches finals on three. Wins back-to-back titles during season, putting together a 16+ match streak. Has most total slam MD wins in a season in her career (11 in '17, 9 in '22), reaching three QF, but doesn't play in her second career slam semifinal after maiden run in U.S. Open. |
| #5 Sabalenka | ...reaches two slam finals, and blasts her way to her maiden slam crown (but only after losing a set and double-break lead, winning the 2nd in a 20+ point TB on her 5+ MP of the day). Holds the singles #1 for one week, becoming just the eighth woman (the Sisters, both Martinas, ASV, Davenport and Clijsters) to top both the s/d lists at some point during a career. Wins a 1000 final (in two finals) and is once again RU at the WTA Finals with the year-end #1 ranking at stake in the match. |
| #6 Sakkari | ...finally wins her second career title (at a 250), but falls from four finals to two (one a 1000, tying her career best) over the course of the season, falling out of the Top 10 for the first time since September '21. Reaches one slam QF, her first since her two-SF '21 season (RG/US). |
| #7 Gauff | ...ends the year as the U.S. singles #1 for the first time, as well as winning multiple singles titles in a season for the first time (one at least a 500 event, a career best). Reaches her maiden career 1000 final, losing it while winning the WD that same week. Returns to the Roland Garros semis a year after being runner-up. |
| #8 Kasatkina | ...now comes the hard part. The Russian's fall in the rankings came after her first Top 10 season in 2018, and she has a hard time maintaining her position in '23 after her #8 finish last year. Still, she wins a singles title for the third year in a row before settling in between #18-25 at the end of the season. |
| #9 V.Kudermetova | ...finally wins the big matches she has often lost, improving on her career 1-4 WTA singles final record by winning three-plus titles (one 1000, her biggest F/W, and another at an event in which she plays feel-good WD w/ sister Polina) and reaching her first slam semifinal. She reaches the singles Top 5 and tops the doubles rankings for the first time (she finished '22 at WD #2). Battles Samsonova (who defeats Kudermetova in either a slam QF or SF) for the Hordette #1 ranking in the closing months, and finally pulls ahead at the WTAF. |
| #10 Halep | ...while under provisional suspension, misses the entire Australian swing for the first time in her career, but manages to get back on the court at some point during the season (possibly by early spring, and at least by the North American hard court swing). |
2023 SLAM SINGLES FINALISTS: Ons Jabeur (2), Aryna Sabalenka (2), Liudmila Samsonova, Iga Swiatek (2), Zheng Qinwen
2023 SINGLES FINAL LEADERS: Iga Swiatek, Ons Jabeur, Aryna Sabalenka (tie)
2023 SINGLES MATCH WIN LEADER: Ons Jabeur
2023 S+D MATCH WIN LEADER: Veronika Kudermetova
1 = Different CAN Women w/ WTA singles titles (2019-22: 1-0-1-1)...OVER
1 = Different CHN Women w/ WTA singles titles (2020-22: 0-0-1)...OVER
1 = Garbine Muguruza singles finals (2018-22: 2-1-1-5-0)...PUSH
1 = Krejcikova/Siniakova slam WD titles as a duo (2018-22: 2-0-0-1-3)...OVER
1 = Anett Konteveit indoor singles titles (2021: 3, 2022: 1)...UNDER
2 = Iga Swiatek losses in WS finals (2019-22: 1-0-0-1)...PUSH
2 = Andreescu slam Round of 16+ results (2019-22: 1-0-1-0)...PUSH
2 = Kristina Mladenovic slam WD/MX titles (2018-22: 1-1-1-0-2)...UNDER
2 = Ons Jabeur finals on different surfaces (2021-22: 3,4)...OVER
2 = Belinda Bencic 1000+ SF+ (2019: 5/14, 2020: 0/3, 2021: 1/10, 2022: 1/12)...OVER
2 = Caroline Garcia WS titles on different surfaces (2016-22: 2-1-1-1-0-0-3)...PUSH
3 = Different CZE women w/ WTA singles titles (2017-22: 5-2-3-1-2-5)...OVER
3 = Maria Sakkari WTA singles finals (2018-22: 1-1-0-1-4)...UNDER
3 = Alona Ostapenko wins over former slam champions (2020-22: 1-2-5)...UNDER
3 = Elise Mertens 3rd Round+ slam results (2017-22: 1-4-4-3-4-3)...UNDER
3 = Coco Gauff combined WS/WD titles (2019-22: 3,0,2,3)...OVER
4 = Kristina Mladenovic WTA WD titles (2018-22: 3-3-2-0-4)...OVER
4 = Teen singles champions (2019-22: 2-7-1-8-2)...OVER
4 = Different Russian women WS champions (2018-22: 4-0-1-3-5)...OVER
4 = Different U.S. women WS champions (2018-21: 1-6-3-4-5)...UNDER
5 = Jessie Pegula QF+ results in 1000/slam/WTAF (2021: 5/11, 2022: 8/12)...UNDER
6 = Iga Swiatek singles (WTA+GS) titles (2020-22: 1-2-8)...UNDER
8 = Veronika Kudermetova combined WS/WD finals (2021: 5, 2022: 6)...OVER
10 = Karolina Muchova WTA-level events completed (does not include ret.; 2021: 8+3, 2022: 6+3)...UNDER
10* = Naomi Osaka events completed (*does not include pre-MD w/d or in-tour. ret./withdrawal...2021-22: 7+2, 8+3)...UNDER
15 = Simona Halep matches completed (do not include ret.)...UNDER
18 = Aryna Sabalenka high DF in a match...UNDER
20 = Aryna Sabalenka high ace in a match...OVER
* - Diede de Groot does *not* complete a second straight undefeated season in singles, losing once (but not to Yui Kamiji) * - de Groot is the first to sweep all eight slam singles/doubles titles, saving MP in at least one WD final to do it * - Dutch teen Lizzy de Greef wins her first Series 1 wheelchair tour singles crown, and makes her slam MD debut * - Esther Vergeer is finally inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame (or we storm the gates at Newport... just kidding) Note: this would be announced in the days before the '23 AO, and if it doesn't happen now the next year in which a wheelchair athlete can be included on the HoF ballot (barring the sort of amendment to the rules, ala the one that allowed for the Original 9's induction) won't be until *2027.*
**RECENT BACKSPIN WEEK 1 PLAYERS-OF-THE-WEEK**
2015 Maria Sharapova/RUS, Simona Halep/ROU (co-PoW)
2016 Victoria Azarenka, BLR
2017 Karolina Pliskova, CZE
2018 Simona Halep, ROU
2019 Julia Goerges, GER
2020 Serena Williams, USA
2021 Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
2022 Ash Barty, AUS
**CAREER WEEK 1 TITLES - active**
3...Simona Halep, ROU
3...Karolina Pliskova, CZE
2...Victoria Azarenka, BLR
2...Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
2...Venus Williams, USA
1...Ekaterina Alexandrova, RUS
1...Amanda Anisimova, USA
1...Lauren Davis, USA
1...Kaia Kanepi, EST
1...Petra Kvitova, CZE
1...Katerina Siniakova, CZE
1...Sloane Stephens, USA
1...Elina Svitolina, UKR
1...Yanina Wickmayer, BEL
--
ALSO: S.Williams (3), Barty (1)
**MOST RECENT FIRST-TIME CHAMPS IN JANUARY**
=2014 Week 2=
Tsvetana Pironkova (SYDNEY), Garbine Muguruza (HOBART)
=2017 Week 1=
Katerina Siniakova (SHENZHEN), Lauren Davis (AUCKLAND)
=2017 Week 2=
Elise Mertens (HOBART)
=2019 Week 2=
Sonia Kenin (HOBART)
=2020 Week 1=
Ekaterina Alexandrova (SHENZHEN)
**MOST RECENT FIRST-TIME CHAMPS IN WEEK 1**
2006 Marion Bartoli (Auckland) - first final
2009 Victoria Azarenka (Brisbane) - had been 0-4 in finals
2017 Katerina Siniakova (Shenzhen) - had been 0-2 in finals
2017 Lauren Davis (Auckland) - had been 0-2 in finals
2020 Ekaterina Alexandrova (Shenzhen) - second career final
**MOST RECENT w/ MULTIPLE FIRST-TIME CHAMPS IN WEEK 1**
=2000=
Silvija Talaja (Gold Coast)
Anne Kremer (Auckland)
=2017=
Katerina Siniakova (Shenzhen)
Lauren Davis (Auckland)
