5 players who were surprise packages on the WTA Tour 2024 ft. Jasmine Paolini & Danielle Collins
The 2024 season saw a lot of big surprises, with the likes of Jasmine Paolini and Danielle Collins, spearheading the list of upset artists. Many of them looked to challenge the dominance of the usual suspects.
While Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek and their ilk managed to keep their nose ahead in terms of the rankings, the underdogs found plenty of reasons to celebrate over the course of the lengthy season.
With the season now put to bed, it makes the perfect occasion to look back on some of the biggest surprise packages that graced the courts in the last 12 months:
#5. Danielle Collins
Danielle Collins has been a top-10 player and a Grand Slam finalist. The last couple of seasons have, however, seen results dry up on the big stage.
The American, who had earlier announced her intention to retire at the end of the season (only to extend her career into 2025 later), played with a sense of freedom for a big part of the year. And results followed for the big-hitting veteran.
Collins started the year by staging strong runs during the Middle East swing. No one, however, could have seen her title at the Miami Open coming. The quick courts in Miami played to her strength, but it was a renewed sense of focus and precision that saw her beat the likes of Sorana Cirstea, Ekaterina Alexandrova and Elena Rybakina en route to her biggest crown.
Collins lifted another title at the Charleston Open immediately after Miami, extending her winning streak to 15. Injuries and medical issues kept her from sustaining the momentum throughout the year but her results reminded the tennis world of what she is capable of when swinging freely.
#4. Lulu Sun
Lulu Sun was a nobody coming into the Wimbledon Championships this year. She battled through the qualification rounds to ensure just her second main draw appearance at a Grand Slam.
The New Zealander’s powerful game, anchored by her big serve and forehand, came alive on the lawns of the All-England Club. She overcame a slow start to stun Zheng Qinwen in the opening round. And bigger things followed later.
Sun came into her own, finding her timing on the low-bouncing courts, and suddenly she found herself in the second week of a Slam. Then came her electric showdown against Emma Raducanu, where she bested not just a fierce opponent but a packed stadium crowd, in thrilling fashion.
While Sun lost in the quarterfinals to Donna Vekic, she continued her good run by making her first Tour-level final at the Monterrey Open. She ended the year at a near-career-high world ranking of No. 39.
#3. Diana Shnaider
Diana Shnaider has quietly gone about her business these last couple of seasons. While she has not made a splash on the biggest of stages yet, the youngster in 2024 captured titles on all three surfaces — a feat that not many have claimed.
The Russian’s season has been extraordinary, beginning with her first Tour-level title at Hua Hin (hardcourts). She added her first grass and clay trophies to her cabinet at Bad Homburg and Budapest. A fourth title followed on the hardcourts of Hong Kong.
Shanider likes to hit the ball big and has a bright future. The youngster has gained plenty of experience over the course of the last 12 months and, sitting a solid ranking of No. 13, she could well be the one to watch out for next year.
#2. Emma Navarro
There is no dearth of talent when it comes to American tennis. So one would forgive you for not having known Emma Navarro before this season.
The New York-born junior French Open champion had her breakout year in 2024. She began with modest results but began to show signs of bigger things on home soil. The run to the quarterfinals at Indian Wells, where she posted wins over Aryna Sabalenka and Elina Svitolina showed just how effective her flat groundstrokes can be.
Coming to Wimbledon, where the low-bouncing courts accentuate flat hitting, Navarro upset Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka en route to the quarterfinals. A return to New York, her birth city, breathed new life into her and she upped her Wimbledon result by making the semifinals. She had even more impressive wins over Gauff, Paula Badosa and Marta Kostyuk.
A regular feature of the top 10 since, Navarro well and truly separated herself from the sea of other American talents.
#1 Jasmine Paolini
No mention of 2024 can be complete without the success story that was Jasmine Paolini this season. Her two Grand Slam trophies and top 10 ranking were just the tip of the iceberg.
The Italian was not a new face coming into 2024. She had been around, posting the odd big result here and there. But something clicked this season. With a new, more aggressive approach, she was able to push her opponents onto the backfoot from the baseline. She always possessed incredible footspeed and defensive prowess and time on the doubles court with Sara Errani made her a truly complete player.
The title in Dubai, a WTA 1000 crown was the beginning of it all. Paolini followed it up with her first Grand Slam final in Paris on her beloved clay. Wimbledon, however, was truly shocking. Having never won a match at the All England Club, she strung together wins over Bianca Andreescu, Emma Navarro, Madison Keys and Donna Vekic to make her second consecutive Slam final.
Paolini topped the perfect season off with an Olympics gold in doubles, a Billie Jean King Cup title for Italy, and a career-high ranking of World No. 4. And she did it all with an infectious smile on her face, making her a fan favorite wherever she went.