Imagining a WTA Next Gen Finals: Meet the rising stars aged 20 and under

Australia's Maya Joint in action. (Getty/Robert Prange)

There is never a shortage of storylines in the tennis world. But one of the favourite pastimes for fans — and sometimes writers — is imagining a parallel tennis universe where things unfold according to personal whims and desires.

As the US Open dust settles and the wait begins for the next Grand Slam, the Australian Open in January 2026, my mind wandered first to the Next Gen ATP Finals — the year-end event showcasing the top eight male players aged 20 and under. And then, to a parallel world where the WTA hosted its own Next Gen Finals.

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With the women's tour entering the Asian swing, here's a look at how the field would shape up if such an event were to be held, featuring the top eight players age 20 and under.

Note: Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva (18) was excluded as she is in contention for the season-ending WTA Finals, as was Czech Linda Nosková, who turns 21 in November.

Victoria Mboko – Canada – Age 19 – World No.23

Mboko began 2025 outside the top 300 but is now among the sport's most exciting prospects. The Canadian won five ITF titles early in the year, scored her first WTA 1000 victories in Miami and Rome, and reached the final of the WTA 125K event in Parma.

Mboko made the third round at Roland-Garros and the second round at Wimbledon, coming through the qualifying draw in both. But her breakthrough came at the National Bank Open in Montreal, where she defeated four Grand Slam champions en route to the title and a top 25 debut. She is poised to finish the season inside the top 20 — an extraordinary leap from where she started in January.

Maya Joint – Australia – Age 19 – World No. 36

Joint, once ranked only No.20 in juniors, has made her mark in 2025. The Aussie teen collected her first WTA title in Rabat on clay and her second in Eastbourne on grass. Most recently, she reached the semi-finals at the WTA 500 in Seoul, breaking into the top 40 for the first time. With her home Slam in Melbourne approaching, Joint will aim for a seeding, and the Australian Open will be a good test for her as the expectations rise.

Iva Jovic – United States – Age 17 – World No.37

American teen Jovic began the year ranked No.191 and has also quickly climbed into the top 40. She collected main-draw wins at the Australian Open, Indian Wells and Roland-Garros, and reached the final of a WTA 125 event in Ilkley.

Jovic's big breakthrough came at the WTA 500 in Guadalajara earlier this month when she became the youngest player to win a WTA title this season, also ensuring herself a debut in the world's top 40.

Alexandra Eala – Philippines – Age 20 – World No.58

Eala has rewritten tennis history for the Philippines. A former junior Slam champion, the 20-year-old had her breakthrough at the Miami Open, where she defeated multiple Grand Slam champions to reach the semi-finals. She became the first Filipino to crack the top 100, reach a WTA final (at Eastbourne) and win a main-draw Grand Slam match (at the US Open). In September, Eala, who has honed her skills at the Rafa Nadal Academy for several years now, captured a WTA 125 title in Guadalajara to secure her place in the top 60.

Tereza Valentová – Czechia – Age 18 – World No.75

Valentová, a 2024 Roland-Garros junior singles and doubles champion, has backed up her junior success with strong results this year. Having begun the season ranked outside the top 200, the 18-year-old qualified for the French Open and reached the second round, later winning WTA 125 titles in Grado (on clay) and Estoril (on hard courts). She also reached the semi-finals in Prague and qualified for the US Open to earn her top 80 debut.

Ella Seidel – Germany – Age 20 – World No.95

Seidel, who peaked at No.19 in juniors, has been steadily rising on tour. The German came through the qualifying draw at the WTA 250 Transylvania Open to reach the quarters. She also qualified for the WTA 500 in Stuttgart, reaching the second round.

The 20-year-old also qualified for Wimbledon and Cincinnati, defeating world No.11 Emma Navarro to reach the fourth round. Her consistent progress was rewarded with a top 100 debut after a quarter-final run in Seoul.

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Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva – Andorra – Age 20 – World No.109

The former junior No.1 is an example of how tennis careers are not always linear. The Andorran won the Australian Open junior singles title in 2020 at the precocious age of 14 and became the top-ranked junior later that year. Now at 20, she stands among the pros and is on the brink of a top 100 debut.

Jimenez Kasintseva reached WTA 125 finals in Antalya and Makarska and made her Grand Slam main draw debut at the US Open, becoming the first player from Andorra to compete at a Major. A quarter-final in Guadalajara has pushed her to a career-high No.109 in the rankings.

Sára Bejlek – Czechia – Age 19 – World No.117

Bejlek has been on the radar since her Slam debut in 2022. In 2025, she qualified for both the Australian Open and Roland-Garros, where she upset No.26 seed Marta Kostyuk in the first round. The left-hander also won the WTA 125 in Makarska and reached the Prague quarter-finals.

Just outside this top eight are Croatia's Petra Marčinko (No.123), France's Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah, Czech Linda Fruhvirtová (No.140), and Czech Nikola Bartůnková (No.144).

While a WTA Next Gen Finals remains only a dream, this rising group of teenagers shows that the women's game is in capable hands — and the future looks bright for the sport and its fans.

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