Australian Arina Rodionova celebrates a major career milestone this week, breaking into the world’s top-100 in singles for the first time.
Hua Hin, Thailand, 5 February 2024 | Leigh Rogers
Arina Rodionova creates history this week, becoming the first 34-year-old to make their top-100 singles debut on the WTA Tour.
“It’s crazy, I feel like I’m 10 years too late to the party,” Rodionova said. “But I guess it’s better late than never. I’m glad I finally made it.”
The Melburnian rises four places to a career-high world No.97 after scoring two top-100 wins in Thailand last week to advance to her first WTA-level quarterfinal since July 2017.
“To be top 100, I can finally say I’m actually a good tennis player,” Rodionova laughed. “Because when your career-best is 116, people are like ‘Oh, you’re just 116, That’s not that great’.”
> READ MORE: Rodionova leads rising Aussie women in the latest rankings
Since the introduction of the WTA Tour singles rankings in 1975, only five players aged over 30 have made their debut in the top 100.
Rodionova is the oldest among them, overtaking Israel’s Tzipora Obziler who had held that record for the past 17 years.
| WTA Tour, top-100 singles Players aged 30+ to make their debut |
||
| Player | Debut | Age |
| Arina Rodionova (AUS) | February 2024 | 34 |
| Tzipora Obziler (ISR) | February 2007 | 33 |
| Adriana Villagran Reami (ARG) | August 1988 | 32 |
| Emina Bektas (USA) | November 2023 | 30 |
| Nuria Parrizas Diaz (ESP) | August 2021 | 30 |
Twelve months ago, Rodionova was ranked No.309 and beginning her comeback from wrist surgery.
She enjoyed a stellar 2023 season, scooping seven ITF singles titles and winning a tour-leading 78 matches. This saw her climb to a new career-high ranking in December and become Australia’s top-ranked woman for the first time.
“I played week after week after week and just worked hard,” Rodionova said. “It’s obviously not an easy lifestyle, I was on my own for a lot of the year. I was away from home for 10 months. I played 107 matches.
“I don’t necessarily need to scream about it from every corner, but I know what I’ve done and it was not easy. So I’m super proud of my achievement.”
> READ MORE: Rodionova – “I think I surprised a lot of people”
Rodionova, who has scored four top-100 wins so far in an impressive start to the 2024 season, noted this hard work made her long-awaited top-100 breakthrough even sweeter.
“I feel like I…
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