Howdy, y’all and Happy Tennis Tuesday! One of my favorite off-season topics is to give you players you might not have heard of just yet that will 1. be appearing on your TV screens sooner than later or 2. someone you need to know. Here, I’ll list three players, two yet to crack the Top 100 but three that, even though they’re young, are at different stages of their career.
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Tiantsoa Takomanga Rajaonah
Born in Madagascar and representing France, 19-year-old Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah plays tennis the textbook French way — purely on feel. Currently ranked No. 123, she burst onto the scene in 2025 by winning her first WTA title in Sao Paulo, entering as the 214th-ranked player and leaving as a champion.
What makes “Titi” so captivating is her left-handed game built entirely on instinct. She doesn’t overthink points or rely on rigid patterns. Instead, she trusts her natural feel for the ball, creating angles and shots that really give her opponents trouble. As she told reporters after her Sao Paulo triumph, “I play a lot on instinct. I definitely have a certain ease.” That ease translates into unpredictable, entertaining tennis that can trouble anyone on her day.
The challenge for 2026 will be adding structure to that raw talent. If she can maintain her instinctive flair while developing more consistency, Rakotomanga Rajaonah could become one of the tour’s most dangerous floaters. She’s already proven she can win a WTA title, but now comes the harder part of sustaining success. While her Sao Paulo win was set on the hardcourts, really watch for her during the clay campaign. That’s where her creativity and variety can truly shine.
Lilli Tagger
At just 17 years old, Lilli Tagger has already shown she belongs on the professional stage. The Austrian currently sits at No. 153 in the rankings, but her trajectory suggests that number won’t last long. In 2025, she made headlines by reaching a WTA final in Jiujiang on her tour debut. With that result, she became the first player born in 2008 to reach a WTA final. She got there by defeating several higher-ranked opponents and saving three match points in the semifinals.
Tagger’s journey through junior tennis prepared her well for this moment. She captured the 2025 French Open junior singles title, showcasing composure that exceeds her teenage years. What’s particularly impressive is how quickly she’s adapted to facing veterans who’ve spent years on tour. Most teenagers struggle with the physical and mental demands of professional tennis, but Tagger looks remarkably comfortable in the deep end.
She trains at the academy of former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone in Italy, which speaks to her commitment to developing an all-court game. In 2026, expect to see Tagger continuing her climb through the rankings. The Austrian Tennis Federation has been waiting for its next star, and Tagger could be the answer. With her junior success, she will for sure be getting opportunities and wildcards into main draws at bigger events. She’s for sure a shoo-in to crack the Top 100, and in my opinion, expect to see it in the first quarter of 2026.
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Emiliana Arango
Last but certainly not least is Emiliana Arango, who has been building momentum the right way — grinding through the lower levels and steadily improving her game. The Colombian player made significant strides in 2025, reaching two WTA 500 finals and cracking into the Top 50 for the first time. While she’s technically inside the Top 100 now, she’s still largely unknown to casual fans, making her an intriguing player to follow in 2026.
What stands out about Arango is her aggressive baseline game. She takes the ball early and isn’t afraid to redirect power, which makes her particularly effective on faster surfaces. Unlike many South American players who are primarily clay-court specialists, Arango has shown versatility across surfaces, making her a threat at any tournament.
The Colombian has also demonstrated mental toughness in big moments. Reaching two WTA 500 finals in one season isn’t luck. To me, it shows commitment where a player unlocks a new level where they’re consistently winning the matches they’re supposed to, at a minimum. In 2026, the next step for Arango will be converting those finals appearances into titles. If she can capture her first significant trophy, it could open the floodgates for a run into the Top 30 or even higher. Colombia hasn’t had a prominent women’s player in quite some time, and Arango has the game to change that narrative. Plus, she carries perhaps the most swag on court with her style and backwards cap.
On to links!
This Week in Women’s Tennis
A huge sponsorship announcement seems to be driving into women’s tennis!
Sorana Cirstea announced that the 2026 season, her 20th as a professional, will be her last on tour.
For the third consecutive year, Coco Gauff was named the highest-paid female athlete.
Anastasia Potapova shared she’s switching allegiances to Austria, becoming another Russian player to defect since their war with Ukraine. However, her announcement wasn’t original…..at all:
Will Serena Williams return in 2026? That’s still TBD, but she won’t be the first legend to attempt an unlikely comeback.
Ann Li had an impressive resurgence in 2025, all thanks to a fresh perspective and outlook to the game.
Caroline Garcia spoke out about turning down a $270,000 podcast sponsorship with a betting company, prioritizing integrity over dollars:
Team Great Britain upset Team USA to claim the BNP Paribas Master’U team title to stop the Americans’ five-year run and win their first title since 2017.
Reese Brantemeier was able to complete her home court resurfacing project, while apparently entering potential settlement discussions with her prize money class action lawsuit against the NCAA.
Venus Williams and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova both unveiled that they’ve gotten engaged to their partners.
Good on Marketa Vondrousova to speak out about the doping test struggles we don’t typically know about:
The ITF released the election results of their Player Panel that will help give feedback on how the circuit is set up and run.
Lindsay Davenport signed a two-year extension with the USTA to remain as Billie Jean King Cup captain.
Tweet of the Week
This was FUNNY and something I would say
Five at The IX: Lilli Tagger at Roland Garros
Q. Congratulations. When did you start working with Francesca? And have you seen footage of her winning the title here in 2010?
LILLI TAGGER: I started working with her, I mean at her academy, in October 2023. Yeah, of course I’ve seen her. I think it was two days ago when I watched the video of her winning here. I mean, she’s the queen of the clay (smiling).
Yeah, I can learn a lot of her game, and she’s teaching me also a lot.
Q. Are you able to elaborate on what some of the things she’s told you leading into this final? How did she say to approach this match?
LILLI TAGGER: I mean, we talked of course, about the tactical part, because I knew my opponent, but the most important thing she told me to go out there, enjoy the moment, and try to, even if it wasn’t that easy, but try to stay calm and focus on my goal.
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Q. Earlier in the week, you spoke about how you opted for the one-handed backhand, that you talked to your coach and said, If I win that tournament, I want to go with a one-handed backhand. Can you talk a bit more about that tournament, where it was, and the feelings afterwards, and how you think now five years on? Is it the right call?
LILLI TAGGER: Yeah, of course, I think it was the right call (smiling). I mean, I don’t remember the moment so good because I was 11 years, I think, 12. Yeah, we went to the tournament, and I told him in the crowd, If I win the tournament, I want to play with the one-hand backhand.
It was a tournament in Austria under-12, close to Vienna, and of course, when I won that tournament, I was just super happy to change my backhand.
Q. Just in general, who are your kind of tennis inspirations or sporting inspirations?
LILLI TAGGER: In tennis, in the men’s part, I love Jannik. I really love him, how he is mentally on the court and also his style of the game.
The girls, Aryna Sabalenka. She’s different from the other ones. She has a different attitude.
In general, in the sports, I really like to ski, so I watch it also a bit, and I like Mikaela Shiffrin or Lindsey Vonn and try to learn from them.
Q. Are you aware of some of the former champions in the girls’ singles here and what they’ve gone on to do? There was four former junior girls champions through to the second week here. Are you aware of that history and how important it is for some players to progress in their careers from here?
LILLI TAGGER: I mean, of course, it’s really, really special to win this tournament here, but in the juniors, I think from all of us the goal is to come here to play the normal seniors tournament.
So of course, if we come here, it’s an inspiration to watch them play, and we focus of course, on our tournament, try to win it, but the goal is to come here. So, yes, it’s a great win. It gives you a lot of inspiration to continue to work, but the goal is to come here.
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