Petra Marcinko, who just turned 20 last Thursday, can celebrate her birthday with some impressive achievements.
The Croatian tennis player captured her second consecutive ITF title at the Dubai W100, extending her winning streak to 10 matches following her prior victory at the W75 in Fujairah. This success has propelled Marcinko into the Top 100 for the first time, climbing 21 spots from No. 103 to No. 82 in the latest PIF WTA Rankings. As a result, she has secured a spot in the main draw of next month’s Australian Open, marking her debut at a Grand Slam event.
Previously a junior No. 1 and the 2022 Australian Open girls’ champion, Marcinko made her professional debut in Rabat the same year, reaching the second round. She peaked at No. 132 in October 2023 after advancing to the second round in Monastir, where she pushed Jasmine Paolini to three sets. However, her ranking fell out of the Top 300 a year later. Marcinko has revived her career during the second half of 2025, achieving a remarkable 40-8 record since Wimbledon, which includes her first WTA 125 title in Rome, along with two additional W100 trophies in Landisville and Tyler.
Marcinko becomes the 29th player to enter the Top 100 for the first time in 2025, and she is the fourth player born in 2005 to achieve this, joining Linda Fruhvirtova, Alexandra Eala, and Ella Seidel.
The Dubai tournament also featured a noteworthy performance from finalist Vera Zvonareva, who lost to Marcinko with a score of 6-3, 6-3. Zvonareva, a former No. 2, was playing her first event in 19 months. She hadn’t competed since the 2024 Strasbourg qualifying, where she suffered a quick defeat, and hadn’t registered a victory since March 2024. Despite this, the 41-year-old two-time major finalist made a remarkable comeback in Dubai, including a thrilling semifinal triumph over 16-year-old Mika Stojsavljevic, securing her biggest final appearance since 2017. Zvonareva re-enters the WTA rankings this week at No. 654, making her one of the oldest players listed.
Rakhimova Returns to Top 100, Hercog Soars Over 300 Spots
Last week, Kamilla Rakhimova and Polona Hercog each claimed WTA 125 titles. Rakhimova won her second career WTA 125 title in Angers, moving up 15 places from No. 112 to No. 97, thus re-entering the Top 100 after an eight-week absence.
This week marks a significant national milestone for Rakhimova as she plays under the Uzbek flag, becoming only the fourth player from Uzbekistan to be ranked inside the Top 100. The last representation for the country in this ranking was in July 2012, when Akgul Amanmuradova dropped out.
On the other hand, Anastasia Potapova, ranked No. 50, has switched nationality to represent Austria, making her the first Top 50 player for the country since 2014. Hercog, 34, also made headlines with her title in Quito, winning her first major trophy since 2019 by defeating notable opponents and rising from No. 672 to No. 333 in rankings.
Other Notable Ranking Movements
Tamara Korpatsch, +11 to No. 127: Formerly No. 71, Korpatsch finished as the runner-up in Angers, ending Alycia Parks’ 12-match winning streak.
Anna-Lena Friedsam, +23 to No. 170: Friedsam reached her second WTA 125 semifinal of 2025, climbing higher in the rankings.
Luisina Giovannini, +55 to No. 226: The 19-year-old Argentine reached her first WTA 125 final in Quito and achieved a career-high ranking.
Mika Stojsavljevic, +44 to No. 298: The 16-year-old junior champion reached the Dubai ITF W100 semifinals as a qualifier, entering the Top 300 for the first time.
Martyna Kubka, +73 to No. 308: Kubka captured her first ITF W50 title recently, marking a significant achievement.
Sofia Shapatava, +61 to No. 360: At 36, Shapatava won her first ITF W35 title, improving her standings significantly from 2014.
Daria Khomutsianskaya, +27 to No. 375: The 21-year-old secured her fifth consecutive ITF title, marking an impressive rise in her ranking during the last months.
