'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The 2017 WTA Tour was one filled with surprises as we saw a number of unheralded players emerge, unlike the ATP tour which was dominated by veterans, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Unknown players like Jelena Ostapenko and Sloane Stephens became known after their maiden Grand Slam titles. An honourable mention goes to current world number one, Simona Halep, who won one singles title during the year -- the Madrid Open.
Here is a look at the top 5 WTA players of the 2017 season:
#5 Venus Williams
The veteran tennis player from the USA showed everyone that even at the age of 37, she is capable of defeating the young guns and causing upsets. Venus in 2017 had the second best win-loss ratio in Grand Slams, 20-4, which is only behind Garbine Muguruza.
Although Venus did not win a single title in 2017, her name is worthy of a mention in this list. Williams made it to the finals of the Australian Open and the Wimbledon Championships, only player to make it to 2 Grand Slam finals in 2017. She ended the year on a high, making it to the semi-finals of the US Open and the final of the year-ending WTA Finals.
#4 Jelena Ostapenko
The Latvian star had a breakthrough year. Ostapenko actually started the season with two doubles titles before she won her first singles titles. She won the St. Petersburg trophy and the Stuttgart Open.
The breakthrough moment came when she won the French, her maiden Grand Slam title, defeating Simona Halep in the final. She had a 15-3 win-loss record in Grand Slams in 2017 and her second-best performance came at Wimbledon, where she ended up making the quarter-finals.
Ostapenko had a disappointing end to the year as she could not make it past the round-robin stage in the WTA Finals. But finishing the year ranked at a career-best No. 7 was certainly a high point for the 20-year-old.
#3 Caroline Wozniacki
After losing six consecutive finals, the former world number one's first title of the year came at the Pan Pacific Open in Japan, a WTA Premier event. The Danish player, who ended the year at No. 3, had her best performance in a Grand Slam at the French Open, where she made it to the quarter-finals.
However, her biggest achievement of the season came at the WTA Finals, which she ended up winning. Wozniacki beat Venus Williams in the final in straight sets. Even though she won just two titles in 2017, her world number 3 ranking is absolutely deserved, for she was definitely one of the most consistent performers of the year.
#2 Elina Svitolina
Hailing from Ukraine, Elina Svitolina had a fairly successful year. She ended up winning five WTA titles, her most in a calendar year. Elina also climbed to world number 3 on 11th September, her career-best ranking.
She had a 12-4 record in Grand Slams and she achieved her best performance in the French Open, where she ended up making it to the quarter-finals. Her five titles are also the most won by any female player in 2017.
A lacklustre display in the WTA Finals meant that she could not finish at world number 3 and her present rank is 6. Svitolina will be looking forward to breaking into the top 5 once again, when the Australian Open starts on 15th January, 2018.
#1 Garbine Muguruza
After taking time to find her feet, Spain's Garbine Muguruza got into the groove in the second half of the season, when she triumphed in two tournaments and climbed to the pinnacle of the world rankings.
She had the best win-loss record in Grand Slams in 2017, which is 17-3. Her best performance came in Wimbledon, which she won, adding to the French Open that she clinched last year.
However, losing in the round-robin stage of the WTA Finals meant that she was overtaken by Simona Halep in the rankings and had to finish the year as the second best. Muguruza was awarded the WTA Player of the Year this year for her exploits on the court.
