A TRIO of up-and-coming stars aged 21 or younger as of the end of 2019 shone brightly in this year and really put their names up into lights with strong performance. These three players had never won a singles title prior to 2019, and now one is Grand Slam champion, and the other two are certainly ones to watch next year and beyond.

Bianca Andreescu
Age: 19 | Titles: 3 | WTA Rank: 5th

If there has been a more meteoric rise to stardom than 19-year-old Andreescu, then we would like to see it. The Canadian born to Romanian parents, Andreescu casually went from not making a Grand Slam main draw in 2018, to winning the US Open. From just 13 tournaments, Andreescu took out the US Open, Indian Wells and Toronto, making her the most successful player on the North American circuit this year. Anyone who can defeat Serena Williams at Flushing Meadows – in straight sets no less – deserves praise, and while Williams was the only top 10 player she beat on the way to the title, it is unheard of to win a Grand Slam off the first time making a main draw. This win came after knocking off Williams in the Rogers Cup the fortnight earlier – granted Williams controversially retired just four games in. But Andreescu still had to defeat the likes of Karolina Pliskova and Kiki Bertens who were both in the top five at the time. Her maiden title win at Indian Wells involved knocking off top 10 players, Elina Svitolina and Angelique Kerber, but her successful year came off the back of a terrific ASB Classic run where she came from qualifying ranked 152nd, to defeat the likes of world number three, Caroline Wozniacki, and Venus Williams before falling to Julia Goerges in the final. With an 8-0 record against top 10 players heading into the the China Open and WTA Finals – before dropping games to Naomi Osaka, Pliskova and her idol growing up Simona Halep – it is mind-boggling to think how good Andreescu could get over the next few years.

Coco Gauff
Age: 15 | Titles : 1 | WTA Rank: 68th

The teenage sensation burst onto the scene this year with a remarkable run at Wimbledon which saw her make the Round of 16. Having breezed through qualifying, the then 313th ranked Gauff, knocked off Venus Williams in the opening round and then continued on her merry way to Round 4, before falling to former world number one, Halep, 6-3 6-3. Due to her age of 15, Gauff is restricted under WTA rules as to how many tour tournaments she can compete in. Her ITF results hardly jump off the page, but her run on grass showed what she is capable of. Being such a young player, she is unlikely to show the consistency that many Americans would hope just yet, but with a few years development, she could develop into a really top player and begin the regeneration of United States tennis with the Williams sisters in the twilight of their careers. Gauff won her first title in Linz, where she defeated world number eight Bertens on the way to the crown, again coming from qualifying to do so. While Bertens is her only top 40 scalp, Gauff is not likely to be knocking off more experienced players so regularly. She will take time, but her shot play and composure beyond her years make her a talent that many will keep an eye on next season and beyond.

Sofia Kenin
Age: 21 | Titles: 3 | WTA Rank: 14th

A somewhat underrated player from the United States, Kenin seems destined for a breakout year. While she might have lost to some of the top players at year’s end, you only have to review her year as a whole to realise how far she came in 2019. Kenin won her maiden title at Hobart, defeating 19th ranked Caroline Garcia and going on to take out the title. That was backed up by a title at Malorca in June, where she defeated 12th ranked Latvian Anastasija Sevastova and Swiss star, Belinda Bencic. It came the tournament after Kenin knocked off countrywoman Serena Williams, before battling hard against Australia’s Ash Barty and going down in three sets. Kenin would get her revenge on Barty later in the year however, stunning the world number one at the Rogers Cup in three sets, while also defeating Svitolina. She doubled the dose on Svitolina at the next tournament in Cincinatti, also defeating new world number one, Naomi Osaka – though Osaka did retire 0-2 down in the third set. Her losses in those tournaments came to eventual winners, Andreescu and Madison Keys respectively, while her year was that impressive she earned an injury replacement call-up for the WTA Finals. There is still more to come from Kenin, and while rankings might be misleading at times, her results against the world’s best speak for themselves.