Elise Mertens

Elise Mertens, 30, sits at No. 24 with 1,870 points, a solid perch for a Belgian veteran who has collected 12 career titles. She has gone 14-8 this season, a 64 percent win rate that matches her steady, right-handed baseline game, and she remains a consistent presence in the WTA’s second tier.

At her age, Mertens enters a phase where experience often outweighs raw upside. Most players at this stage lean on court craft, return reliability and doubles acumen to extend relevance. She has already peaked as a major semifinalist, so the next step is typically about defense of rankings and opportunistic deep runs rather than breakthrough ceilings.