5 Women's Tennis Players Who Will Help Shape the Decade

Breaking down five women's tennis players who will shape the rest of the decade.

Robin Montgomery of Unites States in action against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus during the Mutua Madrid Open 2024, / IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

A lot has been written about which stars will take over at the top of the game when the modern greats have all finally hung their racquets up for good.

Up until now, we’ve seen incredible showings from a group of 20-somethings who seem obsessed with making their own mark in the history books. Names like Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, and Coco Gauff have been lifting grand slam trophies and being raved about for seasons.

However, the success of those major champions has strengthened the competition beneath them and ignited a group of talent in similar age groups (or younger) that desperately want to rise to the same heights.

Here are five women who we believe can help shape the rankings and rivalries that will lead us through the rest of the 2020’s decade. Also, be sure to check out the ATP version of this list.

Diana Shnaider

Diana Shnaider at the 2024 Cincinnati Open. / IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Age: 20

Nationality: Russia

Lefties stand out in tennis for the unique way the ball comes off their racquet. However, that’s not the only unique thing about Diana Shnaider.

Blending a style of assured tenacity with a noticeably different polka dot head scarf, this young Moscow native is starting to leave quite the impression on the WTA tour.

In 2024 she won an astounding 4 main tour level titles across 3 different surfaces. Picking up wins in her campaign against the likes of Paula Badosa and Coco Gauff serve as indicators that she’s not afraid to go up against the biggest stars in the sport and make a special mark.

Linda Noskova

Linda Noskova at the 2024 ecotrans Open. / IMAGO / Action Plus

Age: 20

Nationality: Czechia

Over the last 2 decades, women from the small country of Czechia have continuously produced elite talent across the WTA tour, and Linda Noskova is the latest member of the strong lineage.

In just a few short years on tour, Noskova started to develop a reputation as a giant killer. Before she turned 20, the rising star had wins over Daria Kasatkina and Ons Jabeur.

Her biggest win of all came in the 2024 Australian Open when she shocked World No.1 Iga Swiatek to make her maiden grand slam quarterfinal. If she continues to lean on her impressive groundstrokes and take inspiration from the success of her countrywomen before her, she could be well on her way to making her own mark in the sport.

Marta Kostyuk

Marta Kostyuk reacts in the 2024 Wuhan Open. / IMAGO / VCG

Age: 22

Nationality: Ukraine

Some players just have a flair for the dramatic when they take the court, and Marta Kostyuk seems to fall comfortably into that lane. If her vibrantly colored apparel isn’t the first thing that sticks out at you, then her talent is sure to come up right after it.

Boasting a solid all-around ground game and court coverage to hang with the elite, Kostyuk goes about her business with a flair for the excitement. Her biggest wins have come over top 10 players like Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff en route to runner-up finishes in San Diego and Stuttgart.

When she finds the right balance between keeping the passion while also maintaining precision, her star power will surely be fun to watch on the biggest stages

Mirra Andreeva 

Mirra Andreeva reacts to a point in the 2024 Cincinnati Open. / Susan Mullane-Imagn Images

Age: 17

Nationality: Russia

The women’s tennis tour was practically built around teenage sensations, so it’s no surprise that there’s another one making some noise as she climbs the ranks. Mirra Andreeva was born in the same year that Apple released the first version of the iPhone, believe it or not.

When you’re not stuck over just how old Andreeva makes you feel, you can appreciate the guile and court craft she uses to frustrate opponents who can often be 10 years her senior. That craft served her well in 2024 as she made a run all the way to the French Open semis, beating Aryna Sabalenka along the way and landing herself firmly inside the top 20 by year’s end.

There’s obviously a lot of road left ahead of her to properly dominate, but it doesn’t seem like she has any interest doing it in the slow lane. 

Robin Montgomery

Robin Montgomery during the 2024 Mutua Madrid Open. / IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Age: 20

Nationality: United States

Sometimes, being surrounded by talent breeds even more talent, and Robin Montgomery seems like she may be feeding off of just that. The 20-year-old from Washington D.C. grew up training at the Junior Tennis Champions Center (JTCC) in Maryland, which is the same center that top 20 ATP star Frances Tiafoe trained at in his formative years.

Fast forward to 2024, and after a couple of years of experiencing life as a touring professional, Montgomery looks primed for a breakthrough season. In February, she was ranked outside the top 200, but with quarterfinal showings on the grass courts at Hertogenbosch and her native D.C., she began 2025 nearly knocking at the top 100.

Her natural talent seems to be coming into full gear at just the right time, and with good friend Coco Gauff leading the charge, she’ll have plenty of motivation to shift it up a couple more notches.

More Tennis News

• Danielle Collins is no longer hiding her disdain for Iga Swiatek.

• Coco Gauff defeated Iga Swiatek and won 2025 United Cup MVP.

• TikTok turned the Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek rivalry into a friendship.