There is a WTA player who could be a real Grand Slam contender next year despite never reaching a quarterfinal before
Follow us on Google Discover
The Grand Slam season is over for another year and players are already making preparations for 2026.
There have been four different women winning Grand Slam titles in 2025, which started off by Madison Keys winning the Australian Open.
Keys won her first major title in Melbourne, and then it was another American in Coco Gauff who won Roland Garros.
Iga Swiatek won Wimbledon in emphatic fashion, while world number one Aryna Sabalenka defended her US Open title.
Now, another WTA player is showing herself as a real contender for major success in 2026.
Photo by Robert Prange/Getty Images
Ekaterina Alexandrova could be a real Grand Slam threat in 2026
Ekaterina Alexandrova had a career-high ranking of world number 15 coming into this season, but she began 2025 as the world number 28.
The Russian lost three of her first four matches in the season, but Alexandrova has since gone on to have the best season of her career.
This has included Alexandrova winning her fifth career title at the Linz Open, as part of an eight-match winning streak that also saw her reach the semifinals of the WTA 1000 tournament in Doha, where she beat world number one Sabalenka.
Photo by Alexander Scheuber/Getty Images for MatchMaker
Alexandrova has produced some very consistent results since then, including reaching three more finals at WTA 500 tournaments.
The most recent of those took place at the Ningbo Open, where Alexandrova was beaten by Elena Rybakina.
Despite losing her third consecutive final, Alexandrova has become a top 10 player for the first time recently.
Alexandrova has also obtained five top 10 wins this year, and she has continued her impressive form at the Tokyo Open, showing herself as a real threat and potential Grand Slam contender in 2026.
What is Ekaterina Alexandrova’s best ever result at a Grand Slam?
Although Alexandrova is becoming a real force on the WTA Tour, her Grand Slam results have not quite been up to the same level.
The 30-year-old has never surpassed the fourth round of a major before, but Alexandrova did produce her best Grand Slam year in 2025.
This has included reaching the fourth round of three Grand Slam tournaments, with Alexandrova only being beaten by Grand Slam champions or former Olympic champions.
Grand SlamEkaterina Alexandrova’s Best ResultEkaterina Alexandrova’s Result in 2025Australian OpenThird Round (2020, 2021 & 2023)First Round – Beaten by Emma RaducanuFrench OpenFourth Round (2025)Fourth Round – Beaten by Coco GauffWimbledonFourth Round (2023 & 2025)Fourth Round – Beaten by Belinda BencicUS OpenFourth Round (2025)Fourth Round – Beaten by Iga Swiatek
Alexandrova will not be able to qualify for the WTA Finals this year, but she will be one of the alternates if someone withdraws.
Before she can think about travelling to Riyadh, Alexandrova will look to reach another final at the Tokyo Open.
