British tennis players have been steadily improving their presence over the last decade. With major debuts being made almost every year, there are consistently new players challenging for their first WTA Title.
Konta and Watson both had a fantastic few years between 2015 and 2017, earning a combined five titles. However, since 2017, the two regularly suffered injuries, forcing Konta to retire and setting Watson back significantly who won her last singles title in 2020.
Arguably, Britain didn’t have a star in the women’s game between 2017 and 2021. However, towards the end of that year, Emma Raducanu shone in the US Open. Since then, Katie Boulter has won three titles, and Sonay Kartal won her maiden title.
With these three leading the way for British tennis in the 2020s, there is a question of who else is breaking through as a British tennis star.
Which players will challenge for their maiden WTA Title?
Number One – Harriet Dart
Harriet Dart has been on the circuit for almost ten years now. The then 18-year-old from London made her WTA main-round debut at Eastbourne in 2015 as a wildcard pick.
Unfortunately, she lost to Dominika Cibulkova 1-6 3-6, who had reached the Australian Open final in the previous year. In her ten-year career since then, Dart has yet to reach a WTA final. Despite this, she very regularly advances multiple rounds in high-profile competitions, the most notable of which is reaching the fourth round of the Indian Wells WTA 1000 in 2022.
Dart is currently Britain’s number four and is currently ranked 100th in the world. With 22 ITF titles and a career-high rank of 70th, Harriet Dart is well overdue for a WTA Title.
Number Two – Jodie Burrage
Despite being just 25, Jodie Burrage has already experienced considerable turmoil in her career. She has been threatened with retirement, and a six-month absence in 2024 made her question whether she would ever return to a Grand Slam.
Despite this, she returned from injury in September, winning her first match on return in the Jasmin Open at Monastir. Burrage continued to prove that she was back by winning a match at the Australian Open for the first time before bowing out to world number three, Coco Gauff in the second round.
Burrage is capable of winning singles titles and already has achieved her first doubles title in 2023. The same year she had reached the final of Nottingham’s WTA 250 but was bested by Britain’s number one Katie Boulter.
Number Three – Francesca Jones
Francesca Jones has been on the verge of making a breakthrough for several years now. Winning seven ITF titles and reaching a Challenger 125 final, the 24-year-old from Bradford has worked hard to reach rank 149.
So why is Fran Jones expected to perform at a new level in 2025? The Yorkshirewoman has previously skipped majors and grand slams in favour of rising the rankings and reaching full fitness. In 2024, she notably skipped making an effort to qualify for the French Open, stating “I could have pursued it but I’m not in a position where I’m willing to rush my body right now”.
Many British players have the unique advantage of growing up with the chance to play on grass courts. However, Francesca Jones grew up playing on clay at the prestigious Sanchez Academy from the age of nine. This gives her a unique advantage over other British players in the clay season.
Most tournaments on clay are played from around April until June, when the grass court season begins. Jones’ clay advantage could help her clinch critical ranking points early in the year, giving her opportunities to rise. With a higher rank and careful tournament selection, it isn’t out of the question that Jones could be a seeded option in some WTA 250 tournaments.
Who do you think could join Katie Boulter, Emma Raducanu, and Sonay Kartal in challenging for a WTA title? Let us know on X or BlueSky @TheDeckNews.