Janice Tjen
She’s clearly from the least tennis-oriented country among the five. Proof of that: at the WTA 250 in Sao Paulo, she became the first Indonesian to reach a WTA final in 23 years.
She lost that final to another member of this list, but it was a clear sign of her immense talent.
It’s yet another example of the ITF circuit as a breeding ground for future stars - she made her mark there with four titles at W35 or W50 level between April and June.
She carried that momentum into the last week of the year, winning her first WTA title at the WTA 250 in Chennai.
The off-season break may have temporarily halted her progress, but she’s now on the verge of the Top 50, and there’s a strong sense she’s a star in the making.
The WTA clearly sees her as a gateway to the Asian market, but in terms of her game, she’s far from a finished product. We’ll get the first answers at the Australian Open.
Lilli Tagger
She also shone in the final week of the season, reaching the final of the WTA 250 in Jiangxi - in her very first WTA main draw.
People expected her to break through, but probably not this soon.
She had already impressed by winning the Roland Garros juniors in style in June, but in hindsight, her most remarkable performance came in March, when she beat Lois Boisson in the final of the W75 in Terrassa - two months before Boisson herself made a splash by reaching the semi-finals in Paris.
Now, as she turns 18 in February, she carries the hopes of Austrian tennis, which has struggled since the fall of Dominic Thiem. The only catch: she’s ranked 158th in the world, so she’ll have to go through qualifying to play at the Australian Open.
Still, with her ambitious game and, above all, a stunning one-handed backhand, she has huge potential, and a Top 100 debut is surely just around the corner. Ultimately, her talent should set her apart.
Petra Marcinko
It’s only natural to expect a former junior world No. 1 to break through. The Croatian was at the top of the junior game in 2022, when she won the Australian Open, but she’s yet to really establish herself on the WTA Tour.
Of course, a junior Grand Slam title is no guarantee of a great pro career - some highly touted prospects never make it.
This time, though, she seems to have taken a big step forward at the lower levels: a WTA 125 title, three W100s, and a W75, all between July and December. Most impressively, she’s shown a killer instinct, winning 12 of her 14 professional finals.
She’s now ranked 82nd in the world and will go straight into the main draw at the Australian Open. And we’d bet she won’t be going home after the first round.
Tereza Valentova
Here’s another junior Grand Slam champion - this time, Roland Garros 2024. She quickly outgrew the ITF circuit and WTA 125s.
She made her WTA debut with a semi-final at the Livesport Open in her very first main draw appearance at a regular tour event, and then reached the final in Osaka, knocking out established players like Olga Danilovic and, most notably, Elise Mertens in impressive fashion.
She plays a modern game, has a strong serve, a powerful forehand, great movement, and clearly a high tennis IQ - the Czech has a lot going for her.
But above all, unlike many of her promising compatriots like Sara Bejlek or the Fruhvirtova sisters, she has a much more developed mental game, putting her in the same category as Linda Noskova, who broke through in 2025. And it’s clear that’s the path she’s on for next season.
Sarah Rakotomanga
She might just be the biggest surprise of 2025. Her first WTA main draw appearance, in Rouen in April, saw her reach the quarter-finals after coming through qualifying.
Her second, at the WTA 250 in Sao Paulo, ended with a shock title (beating Tjen in the final), in a depleted field perhaps, but she handled the final like a seasoned pro - even saving six match points in her opening round!
Still, at 19, she’s a real gamble for the future. Since that achievement, she’s won just four of her last 11 matches at all levels. And as she’s ranked only 123rd in the world, she’ll have to go through Australian Open qualifying - unless her federation grants her a wildcard.
If she can break into the Top 100 soon, she could quickly start climbing towards the top. If not, she risks becoming another lost prospect - but we’re not there yet: her solid, intelligent game should allow her to shine on the WTA Tour for years to come.
Bonus: Alina Korneeva
Back in 2023, she was the next big thing. She won the Australian Open juniors (beating Mirra Andreeva in the final) and then Roland Garros, making her look like the player to fear in the years ahead.
She quickly made her mark on the ITF circuit and started her rise on the WTA Tour, but then injuries struck - twice - and other young stars overtook her.
She had to go back to playing lower-level tournaments, added more trophies to her collection, and now she seems ready for a full breakthrough.
She’ll need to get through qualifying in Australia, as she’s currently ranked 214th in the world. It’s a big ask, because as mentioned, plenty of junior stars never make it on the WTA Tour. But her talent is simply too great for her not to succeed.