DENMARK’S Clara Tauson is one of the brightest up and coming stars on the WTA Tour, yet has enjoyed relative anonymity in the past couple of months due to the success of fellow teenagers, Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez. Whilst that pair went on to reach the US Open final, Tauson has put together an impressive run of form since mid-August.

Tauson stormed to a WTA 125 title in the lead-up event to the US Open, winning in Chicago by defeating Raducanu in the final, 6-1 2-6 6-4. The Dane has been able to have Raducanu’s measure more often than not growing up on the ITF Juniors Tour. She won the 125 event with a win over then-66th ranked Ann Li in her home nation as the biggest scalp of that tournament.

Entering the US Open, Tauson was drawn against fellow Next-Gen talent, Clara Burel, defeating the 92nd ranked Frenchwoman in straight sets, winning the last eight games of the match, 7-5 6-0. Unfortunately for the world number 78, she ran into top seed Ash Barty, and despite a spirited second set, went down 6-1 7-5 to the world number one. The loss did not deter Tauson however, as she quickly went from New York to Luxembourg where she was to test herself in a strong WTA 250 event.

Tauson picked up where she left off at Chicago, winning five straight matches to win the title, including three top 35 wins. She knocked off Ekaterina Alexandrova, 6-4 3-6 7-6, and also claimed victories over Marketa Vondrousova and Jelena Ostapenko in three sets – bouncing back from second set losses – to win the title. It meant she had won 11 of the past 12 matches, and would rest up after her good form.

The Danish talent opted not to play at the WTA Tour 1000 event at Indian Wells in somewhat of a surprise move, having just achieved her career-high of 49th in the world with her Luxembourg title. Holding a superb 37-13 record in 2021, and a 127-35 overall career record, Tauson might be one of the brightest stars on Tour who is still flying under the radar. She also won in Lyon earlier this year, coming all the way from qualifying to grab three Top 100 wins and not drop a set.

Having risen more than 100 places in the WTA Tour Rankings this year, expect Tauson to keep rising and the teenager will be aiming to be seeded at a Grand Slam next year. She has the talent and ability, standing at six foot, she has the size to be a powerful player, and has already accounted for Raducanu in her most recent match. Do not sleep on the incredible Dane.

Picture credit: IWTP