Season 2025 saw significant movement in the tennis rankings.
Whether it was new stars to get excited for, or comeback players who reestablished themselves as forces, the year was full of stories of players emerging from well outside Grand Slam cut-offs to make their presence felt at the top level.
As Australian Open 2026 approaches, we profile the biggest risers of 2025 – five men and five women you should keep an eye on heading into the year's first major.
MEN
1. Jenson Brooksby
Start of 2025: Unranked
End of 2025: No.53
Change: N/A
After returning from suspension at Australian Open 2025, Brooksby had one of his best ATP seasons to date.
The American recorded 12 victories against top-50 opponents, including three – over Alejandro Tabilo, Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe – to win his maiden ATP title in Houston in March. Brooksby, ranked world No.507 at the time, became the third-lowest-ranked ATP champion in history.
The 25-year-old would also make deep runs in Eastbourne and Tokyo to finish 2025 with 21 ATP wins, his highest tally since 2022.
2. Reilly Opelka
Start of 2025: No.293
End of 2025: No.50
Change: +243
Opelka could not have started his 2025 season any better. Using a protected ranking to enter the Brisbane International, the American stunned Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals, en route to his first ATP final in three years.
Despite being forced to retire hurt against Jiri Lehecka in the final, Opelka climbed 122 places as a result.
The Brisbane final helped set up Opelka’s season as he worked his way back towards to the top 50. He recorded victories at three of the four Grand Slams in 2025, while also advancing to the semifinals in s-Hertogenbosch and the quarters in Basel.
3. Filip Misolic
Start of 2025: No.316
End of 2025: No.79
Change: +237
Misolic began the 2025 Challenger season with a record of 27-12, leading into a groundbreaking Roland Garros campaign.
There, the 24-year-old defeated Bu Yunchaokete in four sets before fending off a late fightback from Denis Shapovalov to win in a five-set epic.
Following his third-round berth in Paris, Misolic carried his form into the Poznan Challenger in Poland, becoming the second Austrian to win the event. He made his top-100 debut after a quarterfinals berth in Bastad in July, recording his second victory against a top-50 opponent in Nuno Borges.
Misolic also returned to the Davis Cup fray in February, guiding Austria into its first Finals appearance since 2021.
4. Shintaro Mochizuki
Start of 2025: No.235
End of 2025: No.94
Change: +141
Mochizuki began his season in the best possible fashion, claiming silverware at the Noumea Challenger and boosting his ranking by 65 places to world No.170.
The 22-year-old continued his success at Challenger level during the first half of 2025, with deep runs in Bengaluru, Ilkley and Nottingham.
After losing his last four Grand Slam qualifying campaigns, Mochizuki advanced past the stage at Wimbledon and the US Open, progressing to the second round at both tournaments.
A quarterfinal berth in Almaty ensured Mochizuki’s top-100 debut and he completed the season as world No.94.
5. Valentin Royer
Start of 2025: No.197
End of 2025: No.58
Change: +139
Royer’s big leap began on the Challenger circuit, where the Frenchman won 23 of 26 matches between February and April and built a 14-match winning streak in claiming both Challenger titles in Kigali, Rwanda.
The 24-year-old made his Grand Slam debut at Roland Garros, losing in a tight five-set battle to Colombian Daniel Elahi Galan. However, it was at Wimbledon where he recorded his maiden victory – a triumph over Stefanos Tsitsipas, who retired due to a back injury when trailing Royer two sets to love.
Following second-round appearances at Wimbledon and Flushing Meadows, Royer went from qualifier to finalist in Hangzhou, notching wins against Andrey Rublev, Learner Tien and Corentin Moutet to reach his maiden ATP final.
Royer ended the season with 61 victories across all tours, the most of his career.
WOMEN
1. Kaja Juvan
Start of 2025: No.596
End of 2025: No.98
Change: +498
Following an 11-month hiatus, Juvan returned in February in commanding fashion. Ranked world No.1106 before entering the Austin 250 tournament, Juvan qualified for main draw, moving up over 250 places.
The Slovene’s turning point came in Saint-Malo, France, where she reached the final of a WTA 125 event. Juvan notched triumphs over Greet Minnen, Katie Volynets and Viktorija Golubic – all of whom were ranked inside the top 100 – before eventually falling to Naomi Osaka 6-1 7-5.
Having improved to world No.356, the 25-year-old rode her wave of confidence into the remainder of the 2025 season. She won a W75 title in Brescia, Italy in June, qualified for her fifth Wimbledon main draw, and progressed to the semifinals in Hamburg.
Two WTA 125 crowns to finish 2025 saw Juvan climb into the top 100 for the first time since October 2023.
2. Belinda Bencic
Start of 2025: No.489
End of 2025: No.11
Change: +478
Bencic’s emphatic comeback after taking maternity leave has given aspiring mothers on the WTA circuit yet another example to follow when it comes to making a successful return to tennis.
Three months following her return, Bencic reached the round of 16 at AO 2025, before winning the WTA 500 title in Abu Dhabi – success seeing her climb 91 places to world No.66.
The Swiss No.1 carried her form into the second half of 2025, progressing to the first Wimbledon semifinal of her career, and her first major semifinal since US Open 2019. She finished the year on a high after emerging victorious at the WTA 500 tournament in Tokyo.
3. Caty McNally
Start of 2025: No.540
End of 2025: No.81
Change: +459
After a lengthy stint on the sidelines with an elbow injury in 2024, McNally proved in 2025 that she is progressively returning to her best.
A 12-match winning streak in July assisted in her substantial rise this year; she improved 104 places during that time alone. The streak included her two biggest wins of the season, first a straight-sets victory over world No.36 Rebecca Sramkova in Montreal and then a come-from-behind win against world No.45 Tatjana Maria to win the Newport 125 event.
The American made her top-100 return after advancing to the second round of her home major. It enabled the 24-year-old to gain direct entry into Beijing and Guangzhou at the end of the year, and she progressed to the quarterfinals of the latter.
4. Julia Grabher
Start of 2025: No.470
End of 2025: No.92
Change: +378
Julia Grabher’s ascent into the top 100 occurred, simply, because she kept on winning.
The Austrian won 55 matches in 2025, equalling her career-best season in 2022. A 19-match winning streak between April and May, followed by a seven-match winning streak to end the year, helped in the 29-year-old's ranking rise.
Grabher played in a career-high seven finals in 2025, winning a WTA 125 trophy in Florianopolis, Brazil as well as three ITF crowns.
Her rankings spike has all but secured her third Australian Open main-draw appearance at AO 2026.
5. Janice Tjen
Start of 2025: No.412
End of 2025: No.53
Change: +359
Beginning the year outside of the WTA top 400, Tjen is now the second-highest ranked Indonesian player in history, at world No.53.
A staggering 72 wins this year resulted in the climb, supported by a 27-match winning streak from May to July. Tjen captured five of her eight titles during that span.
After winning through qualifying and defeating No.24 seed Veronika Kudermetova in the first round at Flushing Meadows, the 23-year-old began entering WTA tournaments, reaching the final in Sao Paulo in September.
However, Tjen made her WTA breakthrough in Chennai, defeating Australian Kimberly Birrell to win her first tour-level title.
Hoping to carry that form into the Australian summer, AO 2026 is set to be an exciting time for the Indonesian.