Sportskeeda Tennis Awards 2014: Breakthrough Players of the Year - Female

Similar to their men’s circuit counterpart, the Women Tennis Association had four different Grand Slam champions this year. Apart from Li Na, Maria Sharapova, Petra Kvitova, and Serena Williams, who won the prestigious titles, there were new kids on the block who made a splendid run this year.While the old order was very much in command, the young players weren’t far away. What was most striking about the coming of age of players, was the location from which they hail: Simona Halep from Romania, Eugenie Bouchard from Canada and Belinda Bencic from Switzerland.Traditionally, these places aren’t the hot spots of tennis. To see the potential champions coming from different parts of the world is a very positive sign for the future of the game. In what can be considered as the watershed moment of tennis of the present era, where the old generation is locking horns with the next generation, 2014 has truly been the breakthrough season of WTA.Here is the list of top 5 breakthrough players in WTA who have braved the odds:

#5 Ekaterina Makarova

Ekaterina Makarova had an amazing year considering the fact that she played both singles and doubles at major tournaments. After losing in the third round at the Australian Open in singles,she reached the women’s doubles finals in Melbourne with Elena Vesnina. However, they lost to Italian pair of Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci. 

The Russian had a decent grass court season which culminated in her losing to Lucie Safarova in Wimbledon quarterfinals. Makarova reached her first Grand Slam semifinal at Flushing Meadows beating Eugenie Bouchard and Victoria Azarenka in fourth round and quarterfinal respectively. She couldn’t progress beyond the last four stage in New York as she lost to eventual champion and World No. 1 Serena Williams in straight sets. Her stay in the big apple was extended as she won her third Grand Slam doubles title partnering Vesnina.

She finished the year ranked No. 11 in the world.