2021 in Review

Photos: 2021's first-time WTA singles titlists

Seventeen players won their maiden WTA singles titles in 2021. Review a stellar season for first-time champions.

01 /17
Danish 18-year-old Clara Tauson won her first WTA singles title in Lyon in March, as a qualifier. She earned a second WTA singles title later in the year in Luxembourg.

Photo by Alexandre Hergott/Open 6ème Sens - Métropole de Lyon

02 /17
Sara Sorribes Tormo picked up her first WTA singles title in Guadalajara in March. The Spaniard went 7-1 in Mexico in 2021, also reaching the Monterrey semifinals.

Photo by ImagenShop - Abierto Zapopan

03 /17
Canadian teen Leylah Fernandez won her first WTA singles title in Monterrey in March. Her first Grand Slam final came later in the year at the US Open.

Photo by Abierto GNP Seguros

04 /17
Russia's Veronika Kudermetova did not drop a set all week en route to her maiden WTA singles title at the Volvo Car Open in Charleston in April.

Photo by Volvo Car Open/Chris Smith

05 /17
On home soil in Colombia, teenage wildcard Camila Osorio fought from a set and a break down in the final to capture her first WTA singles title in Bogota in April.

Photo by Copa Colsanitas

06 /17
Astra Sharma of Australia upset top seed Ons Jabeur in the final to claim her first WTA singles title at the MUSC Health Women's Open in Charleston in April.

Photo by MUSC Health Women's Open/Chris Smith

07 /17
Paula Badosa won her first WTA singles title in Belgrade in May. The Spaniard dropped only 20 games during the week, which was the most efficient title run of 2021.

Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Serbia Ladies Open

08 /17
Barbora Krejcikova won her maiden WTA singles title in Strasbourg in May. Two weeks later, the Czech won her first Grand Slam singles title at Roland Garros.

Photo by Internationaux de Strasbourg/Chryslène Caillaud

09 /17
Liudmila Samsonova of Russia powered to her first WTA singles title on the grass courts of Berlin in June. She became the second qualifier to win a title in 2021.

Photo by Jimmie48/WTA

10 /17
In her third career final, Ons Jabeur won her first WTA singles title in Birmingham in June. The Tunisian made history by becoming the first Arab woman to win a WTA singles crown.

Photo by Getty Images

11 /17
Romanian qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse notched her maiden WTA singles title in Hamburg in July. With a ranking of World No.198 at the time, Ruse was the lowest-ranked WTA singles champion of 2021.

Photo by Getty Images

12 /17
After two career runner-up finishes on tour and a trip to the 2021 Roland Garros semifinals, Tamara Zidansek of Slovenia won her first WTA singles title in Lausanne in July.

Photo by Ladies Open Lausanne / Mathias Schulz

13 /17
Danielle Collins clinched her first WTA singles title in Palermo in July. The American went on to win her very next singles event as well, claiming the crown two weeks later in San Jose.

Photo by Palermo Ladies Open 2021

14 /17
Maryna Zanevska won her first WTA singles title in Gdynia in July. The Belgian went 8-1 at tour level in July, also reaching the Lausanne semifinals that month.

Photo by Andrzej Szkocki

15 /17
The fourth and final qualifier to win a WTA singles title this year, Emma Raducanu sensationally swept to her maiden tour-level title at the US Open in September. The British teenager became the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam singles title.

Photo by Getty Images

16 /17
Jasmine Paolini won her first WTA singles title in Portoroz in September. The Italian had a strong run at the end of the year, winning 12 of her last 16 tour-level matches in 2021.

Photo by Vid Ponikvar / Sportida

17 /17
Ann Li of the United States capped off a superb year for first-time WTA singles titlists, claiming her maiden trophy in Tenerife in October.

Photo by Marta Magni Images/MEF Tennis Events

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