The ITF’s ‘Class of…’ series recognises and celebrates players who have had a successful year on the ITF World Tennis Tour, identifying the year’s most promising and breakthrough talents, and those predicted to go on to bigger and better things next year. 
 
This year’s final five was decided by a panel of experts: Ashley Keber (WTA), James Marsalek (ATP), Mark Woodforde (ITF), Mary Pierce (ITF) and Nao Kawatei (ITF), following a vote from a shortlist of 18 players. 

The final nominee is a 16-year-old who starred on the ITF World Tennis Tour, laying significant foundations for a meteoric rise which has seen her become something a household name following her stunning performance at Wimbledon, in particular.

It was at Wimbledon Qualifying in late June when Mirra Andreeva walked into the makeshift press area – quickly followed by a bustling horde of camera operators and a handful of frantic producers.

Andreeva was being filmed as part of the Netflix documentary series Break Point, which goes to show just how far the 16-year-old has come in a short space of time.

By that stage, she was fast becoming a household name after assuming the status of the youngest woman to reach the third round at Roland Garros since 2005 – two years before she was born.

Most of Andreeva’s achievements are contextualised by age and, after navigating Wimbledon qualifying, she contested only her second Grand Slam main draw and duly advanced to the round of 16.

She caught the imagination of most SW19 onlookers, becoming the youngest player since Coco Gauff in 2019 to do so and firmly making her mark on the global stage – indeed, one of the biggest stages in tennis.

While Andreeva’s future is very much within the WTA ranks – she reached a career-high of No. 46 in the world in November – followers of the ITF World Tennis Tour will have seen her ascent coming.

The ITF World Tennis Tour is the main artery to the ATP and WTA Tours and once again that pathway has proven imperative in the development of a dynamic and gifted individual.

After reaching the Australian Open girls’ final in January, Andreeva proceeded to win back-to-back ITF World Tennis Tour events at W60 Chiasso, as a qualifier, and then at W60 Bellinzona.

Andreeva's title at Chiasso – her first professional event of 2023 – ensured her place in the history books as she became the first player to win multiple titles at W60 level or above before turning 16.

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This followed her triumph at W60 Meitar in November 2022, which incidentally was the fourth ITF World Tennis Tour singles title of her career following success at W25 El Espinar/Segovia and two victories at W15 Antalya.

“It is important to always give my best effort. It doesn’t matter who you play or where you play. I feel that my tennis level has developed with that mindset”

“For me, every stage of my development in tennis is important,” said Andreeva. “Each period gives me something to address further.

“About the ITF World Tennis Tour, I can say there are a lot of players with different rankings and different levels of game. For example, the ranking of a player could be 800 or it could be 300 or 100, and all of them can play the same tournament.

“Perhaps when you play a player with a lower ranking, you can focus too much on the ranking during the match, and that is why the ITF World Tennis Tour helped me not to look so much at my opponent’s ranking.

“It is important to always give my best effort. It doesn’t matter who you play or where you play. I feel that my tennis level has developed with that mindset.”

Her showings on the ITF World Tennis Tour really did lay the foundations for a meteoric rise as the week after W60 Bellinzona, Andreeva chalked up her maiden victories against Top 20 opposition at the Madrid Open.

She defeated world No. 14 Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil and Poland’s world No.19 Magda Linette in successive rounds, while the biggest victory of her career so far came at Wimbledon against world No. 11 Barbora Krejcikova.

Andreeva has very much earned her spurs at WTA level this season, although her development is firmly entrenched within the ITF World Tennis Tour and she fully merits her place in the ITF Class of 2023 alongside Dino Prizmic, Alina Korneeva, Marina Stakusic and Henrique Rocha.

It has been a fabulous campaign for this intrepid teenager, and it will be fascinating to see the heights she is able to scale in 2024.