Happy Tuesday! Amidst a chaotic offseason week (see Weekly Roundup), let's take a step back and look at the WTA year in review. We present to you… Centre Court Chatter's 2025 WTA Wrapped!

In this week's newsletter:

Think you know your tennis? Take a swing at this week’s question!

These WTA awards recognize excellence across all facets of professional tennis, from breakthroughs to humanitarian efforts. Let's dive into 2025's award winners!

1️⃣ Player of the Year: Aryna Sabalenka 1️⃣

Sabalenka held the World No. 1 ranking for the entire year and successfully defended her US Open title, becoming the first woman since Serena Williams to do so. She reached nine finals, including at the Australian and French Opens, and claimed three additional titles at the 1000 level.

⭐ Fans' Favorite Singles: Zheng Qinwen ⭐

The Chinese star won over fans worldwide with her powerful baseline game and charismatic presence both on and off court. Zheng's passionate celebrations and engaging personality made her a social media sensation, while her competitive fire in big matches earned her legions of supporters throughout the 2025 season.

📈 Most Improved: Amanda Anisimova 📈

Anisimova surged from outside the Top 30 to a career-high No. 4, winning WTA 1000 titles at Qatar and the China Open. The 24-year-old American reached back-to-back Grand Slam finals at Wimbledon and the US Open before finishing with a semifinal run at the WTA Finals.

💫 Newcomer of the Year: Victoria Mboko 💫

The 18-year-old Canadian defeated four Grand Slam champions en route to winning the Canadian Open as a wild card. Mboko's historic 1000-level victory rocketed her from No. 85 to a year-end ranking of No. 18.

💪 Comeback Player of the Year: Belinda Bencic 💪

Just six months after giving birth, Bencic won the Abu Dhabi Open and reached her first Wimbledon semifinal. The Swiss star finished at No. 11, completing a remarkable 478-spot climb from her starting ranking.

These three moments from 2025 will be remembered for years to come!

3️⃣ Forever Friends in the Hall 🏆

In a stunning surprise at the International Tennis Hall of Fame, Serena Williams emerged from behind the stage to introduce "former rival, former fan and forever friend" Maria Sharapova for her induction. The 23-time Grand Slam champion's unexpected appearance drew gasps from the Newport crowd as she honored their fierce rivalry that pushed both players to greatness. Sharapova's emotional acceptance speech thanked Williams for bringing out her best, cementing one of tennis's most iconic rivalries in history.

2️⃣ Mboko Magic in Montreal ✨

At just 18 years old, Victoria Mboko delivered the performance of a lifetime on home soil at the National Bank Open. The Canadian wildcard defeated four Grand Slam champions, Sofia Kenin, Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, and Naomi Osaka, becoming the youngest player to accomplish the feat since Serena Williams in 1999. Ranked No. 85 entering the tournament, Mboko became the second-lowest ranked player to win a WTA 1000 title and rocketed to No. 25, capturing the hearts of her nation.

1️⃣ Keys Unlocked: Finally Champion 🔓

Eight years after a devastating US Open final loss, Madison Keys finally fulfilled her potential at the Australian Open. The 29-year-old defeated both world No. 2 Iga Swiatek and No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, the first player to beat the top two at a major since 2009. Keys became the fourth-oldest first-time Grand Slam champion, proving that perseverance and self-belief can overcome the greatest burdens.

Learner Tien claimed the Next Gen ATP Finals title with Rafael Nadal watching from the stands in Jeddah, defeating Belgium's Alexander Blockx in straight sets. The 19-year-old American avenged his runner-up finish from 2024, becoming the third top seed to win the tournament.

Carlos Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero ended their highly successful partnership. According to some reports, tensions between Ferrero and Alcaraz's father over professionalism, family involvement in the team, and the player's "my way" philosophy ultimately led to the split. Ferrero guided Alcaraz to six Grand Slam titles and the world No. 1 ranking during their time together.

Rafael Nadal made his second consecutive appearance at the Next Gen ATP Finals as an ambassador for the Saudi Tennis Federation. The 22-time Grand Slam champion hosted a tennis clinic for Saudi Arabia's Special Olympics team, conducted fan meet-and-greets, and watched the finals in Jeddah, eight months after retiring from tennis.

Stan Wawrinka confirmed that 2026 will be his final season on tour. The 40-year-old Swiss, who famously defeated Nadal, Djokovic, and Federer in major finals, wrote "every book needs an ending" in his announcement. Wawrinka will begin his farewell season at the United Cup in Perth before closing out a 24-year professional career.

Naomi Osaka announced she's parting ways with Evolve, the sports agency she co-founded with longtime agent Stuart Duguid in 2022. The four-time Grand Slam champion is reportedly returning to IMG, where she was previously represented.

The ATP Tour introduced a comprehensive safeguarding policy aimed at protecting players and staff from abuse, mirroring the WTA's existing framework. The new code of conduct covers bullying, sexual harassment, and abuse of trust, with penalties ranging from reprimands to permanent bans.

View our most popular WTA reel of the year!

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