30. Tamara Zidansek
The Slovenian finally rose, and the 23-year-old came of nowhere, reaching the semis at Roland Garros. Clearly, she likes clay. She started at the beginning of the year ranked No. 93. She is showing more emotion, which has been a key to her rise. While she does have to improve almost everything on court, at least she is hanging in there.
29: Danielle Collins
The American played some fantastic matches, winning Palermo and also San Jose. But this veteran plays all the time, almost every week. Physically, she is pretty strong, but she can also get tired mentally. Next year, she can make more progress if she limits her schedule. Then, when she gets on the court, she will be refreshed.
28: Jelena Ostapenko
She can be on fire, and other times, she makes so many errors. Even though she won the ‘18 Roland Garros, this pattern has been going for years. Her forehand and backhand can be bold and deep, but in order of going back into the top 5, she has to improve her serve and at the net. Perhaps, maybe something new will change her habits.
27: Victoria Azarenka
The two-time former Grand Slam champion can lock it in,and blast the ball. The veteran can take down almost anyone. Unfortunately, year after year, she still gets hurt a lot. In 2021, the big hitter retired on the court six times. That is a lot. At least in the fall, she reached the final at Indian Wells, and while she lost to Paula Badosa, Vika was flashy again. In 2022 she shouldn’t retire that many times.
26: Daria Kasatkina
The Russian had a decent year, winning Petersburg. She grabbed a few terrific matches, like upsetting Iga Swiatek in Eastbourne. She can be consistent, but she still needs to be more patient, and more upbeat. Still, she has to figure out how to defeat the top echelon of players.