Personal

Formerly worked with Alexander Kneepkens, Robbie Ceyssens, Dieter Kindlmann, Daniel Goffin and Philippe Dehaes
Previously trained under Belgian Federation until early teens, also spent a year at the Mouratoglou Academy in Paris
Mother is Liliane Barbe (teaches languages and history); father is Guido Mertens (makes furniture for churches). Began playing tennis at age 4, introduced to game by older sister Lauren, an airline pilot with KLM
First tennis memory is watching Kim Clijsters playing live
Was home schooled, enjoyed studying languages; speaks English, Dutch/Flemish and French
Loves animals and has lots of pets at home
In 2021, launched a charitable initiative to support the Virunga National Park's efforts to save the gorilla population in the Democratic Republic of Congo. During 2021 season she will be wearing a Virunga Ranger necklace and sporting a badge on her bag to help raise awareness

Career Highlights

SINGLES
Winner (8): 2023 - Monastir; 2022 - Monastir; 2021 - Gippsland Trophy; 2019 - Doha; 2018 - Hobart, Lugano, Rabat; 2017 - Hobart.
Finalist (4): 2021 - Istanbul; 2020 - Prague, Linz; 2017 - Istanbul.
DOUBLES
Winner (18): 2023 - Guadalajara, Rome (both w/Hunter) 2022 - Dubai, WTA Finals Fort Worth (both w/Kudermetova); 2021 - Australian Open (w/Sabalenka), Istanbul (w/Kudermetova), Wimbledon, Indian Wells (both w/Hsieh); 2020 - Ostrava (w/Sabalenka); 2019 - Indian Wells, Miami, US Open (all w/Sabalenka); 2018 - Hobart, 's-Hertogenbosch, Wuhan (all w/Schuurs), Lugano (w/Flipkens); 2017 - Guangzhou (w/Schuurs); 2016 - Auckland (w/Mestach).
Finalist (12): 2023 - Wimbledon (w/Hunter); 2022 - Doha, Miami, 's-Hertogenbosch (all w/Kudermetova), Birmingham (w/Zhang), Wimbledon (w/Zhang); 2021 - WTA Finals (w/Hsieh); 2019 - Wuhan (w/Sabalenka); 2018 - Birmingham, Cincinnati (both w/Schuurs); 2017 - Bucharest (w/Schuurs), Istanbul (w/Melichar).

ADDITIONAL
WTA 125K Series Titles - Doubles (1): 2016 - Limoges (w/Minella).
Belgian Billie Jean King Cup Team, 2017-20.

Career in Review

2023 - Ended 2023 as the only Top 100 player to finish the year exactly where she started, at No. 29. Strongest singles results came at Monastir, successfully defending her title (d. Paolini), and SF at Monterrey (l. Garcia). Achieved a year-end doubles ranking of No. 2 after lifting two titles at Guadalajara and Rome (w/Hunter) and SF at WTA Finals Cancun (l. eventual champions Siegemund/Zvonareva).

2022 - Finished 2022 ranked No.29 in singles, her sixth consecutive Top 50 finish; also finished No.5 in doubles for her fourth consecutive Top 10 finish in doubles and second consecutive Top 5 finish. Lifted seventh WTA title, at 2022 Monastir (d. Cornet in F), while in doubles alongside partner Kudermetova won Dubai and WTA Finals, as well as finished R-Up at Wimbledon.

2021 - Finished the year in singles ranked No.21, her fifth consecutive Top 35 finish; in doubles, finished at No.4 for third consecutive Top 10 finish; posted 33-20 record in singles, her fifth consecutive year with 30+ match wins; reached the QF stage or better at 6 of 19 tournaments played in singles; won sixth career singles title at Melbourne [Gippsland Trophy] and finished as runner-up at Istanbul; in doubles won three titles including two Slams - Australian Open (w/Sabalenka) and Wimbledon (w/Hsieh); other doubles title came at Istanbul (w/Kudermetova); qualified for WTA Finals in doubles (w/Hsieh), finishing as runner-up.

2020 - Third consecutive Top-20 season (finishing No.20); runner-up at Prague (l. to Halep) and Linz (l. to Sabalenka); SF at Western & Southern Open (l. to Osaka); QF at Shenzhen, Hobart, US Open, Rome and Ostrava; reached 4r at Australian Open, 3r at Roland Garros and 2r twice; fell 1r once; won one WTA doubles title.

2019 - Second Top-20 season (finishing No.17); won one WTA title at Doha (d. Halep in final); SF at Osaka (l. to Osaka); QF four times at Sydney (l. to Barty), Rabat (l. to Sakkari), Mallorca (l. to Kenin) and US Open (l. to Andreescu); reached 4r once (Wimbledon), 3r five times (incl. other two majors) and 2r seven times; fell 1r six times and in RR at WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai (1-1 record).

2018 - First Top-20 season (finishing No.13); won three WTA titles at Hobart (d. Buzarnescu in final), Lugano (d. Sabalenka in final) and Rabat (d. Tomljanovic in final); SF at Australian Open (l. to Wozniacki) and San Jose (l. to Buzarenescu); QF three times at Montréal (l. to Svitolina), Cincinnati (l. to Kvitova) and Tianjin (l. to Hsieh); reached 4r at Roland Garros and US Open, 3r three times (incl. Wimbledon) and 2r four; fell 1r five times in RR at WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai (1-1 record); having started season at No.35, made Top 20 debut on January 29 (after Australian Open; rose from No.37 to No.20); won four WTA doubles titles.

2017 - Enjoyed career-best season, ending year ranked No.35 for first Top 50 finish; won career first WTA singles title as a qualifier at Hobart (d. Niculescu in final); reached second tour-level final at Istanbul (l. to Svitolina in final); enjoyed best Grand Slam run so far by reaching 3r at Roland Garros (l. to V.Williams); SF at Bastad (l. to Wozniacki), New Haven (l. to Cibulkova) and Luxembourg (l. to Puig); QF at Biel (l. to Kontaveit) and Tokyo [Japan Open] (l. to McHale); reached 2r six times; fell 1r on eight occasions (incl. Wimbledon and US Open) and in qualifying four times; won one WTA doubles title.

2016 - Played first WTA main draw at 's-Hertogenbosch (as qualifier, l. to Mladenovic in QF); reached 2r once; fell 1r once (US Open) and in qualifying nine times; won one singles title on ITF Circuit; won one WTA doubles title.

2015 - Played first WTA qualifying at Antwerp; fell in qualifying on six other occasions; also won two titles on ITF Circuit.
2014 - Won four titles on ITF Circuit.

2013 - Won four titles on ITF Circuit.

2012 - Played on ITF Circuit.

2011 - Did not play.

2010 - Played first events of career on ITF Circuit in Belgium.