Naomi Osaka topped the WTA list for the biggest ranking jumps, leading a statistic that includes Emma Raducanu and Caroline Wozniacki among the top risers.
The most significant movers feature four players making remarkable comebacks after extended absences, alongside one of the season's biggest surprises.
1. Naomi Osaka
The Japanese star spent over a year off the tour after announcing her pregnancy and the birth of her first child. The four-time Grand Slam champion posted a 22-17 record, reaching the quarterfinals in Doha and 's-Hertogenbosch. Starting the season unranked, she climbed to the top 60—the largest rise on the tour—using multiple wild cards in WTA tournaments.
The former world No. 1 secured her first win over a top-10 player at the US Open, defeating former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in the opening round. Osaka’s season also included six victories against top-20 opponents.
2. Amanda Anisimova
The 23-year-old American was once regarded as one of the brightest prospects in women’s tennis. Ranked in the top 30 between 2019 and 2020, she took a hiatus from the sport due to mental health challenges, causing a sharp drop in her ranking.
In 2024, Anisimova made an impressive return, rising from world No. 272 to No. 36, with signs of further progress ahead. Her standout performances included reaching her first WTA 1000 final at the Canadian Open and advancing to the fourth round at both the Australian Open and the China Open. One of her biggest career wins came when she defeated world No. 3 Aryna Sabalenka in the Montreal quarterfinals.
3. Emma Raducanu
The former US Open champion underwent surgeries in 2023 to overcome persistent injuries, which caused her ranking to plummet. After a lengthy recovery, Raducanu returned with a strong showing, climbing from No. 301 to No. 57 despite a limited schedule.
Her highlights included reaching the semifinals of the Nottingham Open and the fourth round at Wimbledon. She also secured her first two career wins over top-10 players, defeating Jessica Pegula (No. 5) and Maria Sakkari (No. 9) on grass.
4. Caroline Wozniacki
The former Australian Open champion balanced her family life with a tennis comeback in 2023, returning to the WTA Tour after a three-and-a-half-year hiatus. The 34-year-old ended the season with a 16-13 record (55%), highlighted by reaching the fourth round at the US Open and the quarterfinals at Indian Wells.
Wozniacki rose from world No. 256 to No. 70, a significant jump considering she had no points to defend for most of the year. Prioritizing major tournaments, she competed in just four WTA 500 events and one WTA 250.
5. Lulu Sun
The Newcomer of the Year naturally secured a place in this ranking. The New Zealander enjoyed a remarkable rise in the latter half of the season, highlighted by a Wimbledon quarterfinal run as a qualifier, defeating Zheng Qinwen and Emma Raducanu along the way.
Sun climbed from world No. 214 to No. 40, also reaching her first WTA final at the Monterrey Open, where she fell to Linda Noskova. At 23, she is one to watch in 2025 as one of the few left-handed players in the upper rankings.
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