Elise Mertens
Elise Mertens is a former doubles world No. 1 and, at 30, still climbing in singles. Seeded 25th at Wimbledon 2026, she beat 2023 champion Elena Rybakina in the third round and reached the semi-finals, matching the career-best major run she set at the Australian Open in 2018.
Born in Leuven on 17 November 1995 and a professional since 2013, she has 10 WTA singles titles and 24 in doubles, with Grand Slam doubles titles at the US Open, the Australian Open and Wimbledon. Her singles career high is World No. 12, set in November 2018.
Player Profile
| Full name | Elise Mertens |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 17 November 1995 |
| Nationality | Belgian |
| Birthplace | Leuven, Belgium |
| Height | 5ft 10in / 179cm |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| Turned pro | 2013 |
| Highest ranking | World No. 12 |
| Grand Slam titles | 0 |
| Career titles | 10 singles, 24 doubles |
Current Ranking & Recent Form
| Wimbledon 2026 | Semi-final— seeded 25th, beat 2023 champion Elena Rybakina in the third round and Marie Bouzková in the fourth before eventual champion Linda Noskova won 6-3, 7-5 |
|---|---|
| French Open 2026 | Beaten by Maja Chwalińska, who went on to reach the final |
| Doubles career | Former world No. 1 in May 2021, with 24 WTA titles and Grand Slam titles at the US Open, Australian Open and Wimbledon |
| Australian Open 2018 | Semi-final— her first Grand Slam semi-final |
Playing Style & Strengths
Mertens is the rare player whose doubles record explains her singles. Twenty-four doubles titles and a spell at world No. 1 in that discipline have given her a returning and net game that most singles specialists in her ranking bracket do not have, and it is why she keeps beating bigger hitters rather than out-hitting them.
Wimbledon 2026 was the clearest example. Seeded 25th, she took out Elena Rybakina, the 2023 champion and one of the heaviest servers in the women's game, in the third round, then Marie Bouzková, before Linda Noskova beat her 6-3, 7-5 in the semi-final and went on to win the title. At 30 that run matched the Australian Open semi-final she reached in 2018, eight years earlier.