The current WTA season, marked by four different champions across the first Grand Slam and four WTA 1000 tournaments, clearly demonstrates the impressive depth of the Hologic WTA Tour. It`s particularly noteworthy that the only player to secure multiple wins at this elite level is the 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva.
Madison Keys, the winner of the first major in Melbourne, commented on this trend during Media Day in Rome. She observed that it`s increasingly common on both the men`s and women`s tours to see a large group of players—perhaps 20 or more—who could realistically win a tournament. Keys attributes this partly to the departure of legendary figures like Serena Williams, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, whose consistent dominance made outcomes more predictable. Additionally, she believes the baseline skill level has significantly risen, reducing the margin for error and resulting in much closer, high-quality matches when both players are performing well.
Recent results highlight this competitive landscape. Jessica Pegula claimed the title on the green clay in Charleston, while Jelena Ostapenko defeated the top two seeds en route to winning in Stuttgart. Naomi Osaka earned her first career clay court championship at the WTA 250 event in Saint Malo, France. Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek is seeking her first title since her Roland Garros victory nearly a year ago.
Keys further explained that players have collectively improved significantly, and the sport has become much more physical. She sees players investing heavily in their careers, utilizing physios and fitness experts, which contributes to them becoming faster and stronger while potentially maintaining health for longer periods.
Media Day in Rome brought several players together with reporters. Here are some notable points discussed:
Sabalenka Turns 27
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka celebrated her 27th birthday, which coincided with Cinco de Mayo. However, it wasn`t a complete day off. She had tennis practice and fitness training in the morning, but her team ensured the latter half of the day was dedicated to celebrating her birthday and her recent win in Madrid. Sabalenka described it as a beautiful day and possibly her best birthday yet, appreciating that she didn`t have a late match. She mentioned being surrounded by balloons and flowers from brands she represents and friends, and receiving a watch from her boyfriend, Georgios Frangulis.
Local Knowledge
Despite recent success with back-to-back WTA 1000 titles, Mirra Andreeva is still looking for her first win in Rome, having lost her debut match last year. Fortunately, her coach, Conchita Martinez, boasts significant local knowledge. Martinez had an impressive record in Rome, winning the tournament four times in a row from 1993 to 1996. Andreeva, who recently turned 18, noted this history, hoping Martinez will share some insights on achieving similar success. Andreeva mentioned they spend time talking and playing Uno, with Martinez offering advice on managing nerves and pressure, though she prefers to keep the specific tips private.
A New, Younger Dynamic for Gauff
With the emergence of talents like Mirra Andreeva (17), Alexandra Eala (19), and Diana Shnaider (21), Coco Gauff (also born in 2004) is finding more peers her age on tour. Gauff expressed that having players closer to her age makes a noticeable difference. When she first joined at 15, making friends was challenging because of the age gap; older players were kind but were at different life stages, like getting married or planning families. Now, having friends her age makes the tour feel different, allowing for more relatable conversations and shared experiences as they navigate their careers together.
The Clay Conundrum
For power players like Madison Keys, clay courts can pose a difficult challenge, requiring adjustments to their natural attacking game. Keys admitted it took her some time to find the right approach, sometimes playing too defensively or, conversely, trying to be as aggressive as she would on hard courts. She feels she has found a better balance in the last couple of years, making minor adjustments to her game for the surface. Keys believes that, like on any surface, playing more matches on clay helps build comfort.
Sabalenka Staying Present
Aryna Sabalenka currently holds a substantial lead in the WTA rankings. Despite this, she focuses primarily on the present rather than dwelling on rankings or past achievements. She prefers to reflect on the season`s successes at the end of the year. While acknowledging that the season has been “super nice” so far, her strategy is to take things one step at a time, focusing on each individual tournament and match without staying in the past.
