Cancun, Mexico, 5 November 2023 | Leigh Rogers

Storm Hunter will finish the 2023 season as the world’s top-ranked doubles player.

The 29-year-old Australian guaranteed her progression to world No.1 by advancing to the semifinals at the WTA Finals in Cancun. This means she will leapfrog American duo Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula when the next edition of the rankings are released following the conclusion of the WTA Finals.

Hunter has been rewarded for a consistent season, which saw her win 42 of her 56 matches.

Highlights include title-winning runs at WTA 1000 events in Rome and Guadalajara, as well as reaching the Wimbledon final alongside Belgium’s Elise Mertens.

The duo, who teamed up for the first time in January, also made quarterfinal appearance at the Australian Open.

Hunter also progressed to finals in Adelaide (with Czech Katerina Siniakova), Birmingham (with American Alycia Parks) and won a WTA 125 title in Reus with compatriot Ellen Perez.

This efforts sees Hunter become the third Australian to top the WTA Tour doubles rankings since their introduction in 1984 and the first Aussie to hold the coveted position since Sam Stosur in April 2007.

It caps a remarkable rise for the resilient Hunter, who finished the 2018 ranked outside the world’s top 1000.

After navigating several injury setbacks early in her career, Hunter has impressively established herself among the game’s elite.

She becomes only the second Australian, behind Stosur in 2006, to record a year-end No.1 finish in doubles.

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