Birrell, Hunter end season as Australia's top-ranked women

Kimberly Birrell finishes the 2023 season as the top-ranked Australian in singles, while Storm Hunter is the world's top-ranked doubles player.


Tuesday 07 November 2023
Leigh Rogers
Australia
Women's singles

Kimberly Birrell is the top-ranked Australian in the WTA Tour's year-end singles rankings, which were released today.

It is the first time the 25-year-old from the Gold Coast has finished a season as the Aussie No.1.

Birrell's highlights from a career-best season include eight top-100 victories, a top-100 debut and most importantly, staying healthy following a horror run with injuries that threatened to prematurely end her career.

World No.113 Birrell is also set to lead the Australian team at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Spain this week, which marks her first appearance in the team competition in more than four years.

> READ: Birrell - "It is such a privilege and honour to represent Australia again"

Other Aussie woman to make impressive ranking gains in the past 12 months include Astra Sharma, Olivia Gadecki, Arina Rodionova, Storm Hunter and Destanee Aiava.

Taylah Preston, an 18-year-old from Perth, is the biggest riser within the Australian top 15. The teenage talent ends a breakout year, which netted three ITF singles title, at a career-high world No.244.

Ajla Tomljanovic, who was the top-ranked Australian at the end of the 2022 season, finishes an injury-marred year at world No.549. The 30-year-old has played only four tour-level matches since undergoing knee surgery in January.

PlayerYear-end rankingDifference in 12 months
1Kimberly BirrellNo.113+54
2Astra SharmaNo.120+111
3Olivia GadeckiNo.132+69
4Arina RodionovaNo.148+149
5Storm HunterNo.172+65
6Destanee AiavaNo.186+216
7Jaimee FourlisNo.204-42
8Daria SavilleNo.206-153
9Priscilla HonNo.210-59
10Seone MendezNo.241+79
11Taylah PrestonNo.244+362
12Maddison InglisNo.277-100
13Lizette CabreraNo.281+15
14Talia GibsonNo.301+63
15Tina SmithNo.403+337

> VIEW: Full WTA Tour year-end singles rankings

Women's doubles

Storm Hunter becomes only the second Australian woman - and first in 17 years - to finish the season as year-end world No.1 in doubles.

The 29-year-old formed a strong partnership with Belgian Elise Mertens in 2023. They won WTA 1000 titles at Rome and Guadalajara, were Wimbledon finalists and most recently, progressed to the semifinals at the WTA Finals.

That latest result was enough to propel Hunter above American duo Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff at the top of the rankings.

Ellen Perez records her highest year-end ranking at world No.17. The 28-year-old also finished an outstanding season strongly, as the first Australian in 15 years to advance to the doubles final at the WTA Finals.

Olivia Gadecki and Destanee Aiava have been two of the most consistent performers at ITF level this season, winning six and seven titles respectively.

This has helped the 21-year-old Gadecki and 23-year-old Aiava make giant ranking strides and soar to new career-highs in the past year.

PlayerYear-end rankingDifference in 12 months
1Storm HunterNo.1+9
2Ellen PerezNo.17+3
3Olivia GadeckiNo.96+634
4Destanee AiavaNo.162+123
5Daria SavilleNo.168-15
6Olivia TjandramuliaNo.174-70
7Talia GibsonNo.189+95
8Astra SharmaNo.204-87
9Priscilla HonNo.208+132
10Elysia BoltonNo.210+64
11Alexandra BozovicNo.211+15
12Kimberly BirrellNo.233+18
13Petra HuleNo.239+190
14Alana ParnabyNo.265-43
15Kaylah McPheeNo.270+580

> VIEW: Full WTA Tour year-end doubles rankings

Book online, play today: Visit play.tennis.com.au to get out on court and have some fun!