Spanish eyes smile as Esquiva Banuls claims maiden professional title
Former world No 9 Charo Esquiva Banuls has made generational history after winning the first professional title of her career on the World Tennis Tour – on home soil at W50 Yecla.
As a wild card, Esquiva Banuls defeated qualifier and fellow Spaniard Carmen Gallardo Guevara 6-3 6-2. Incidentally, she saved three consecutive match points on Tiphanie Lemaitre’s serve during the second set of her quarter-final victory.
Aged 18 years 199 days, Esquiva Banuls is now the youngest Spanish player to win a World Tennis Tour title above W35-level since September 2000, when Anabel Medina Garrigues won $50,000 Denain aged 18 years 41 days.
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By winning W50 Yecla, Esquiva Banuls has risen 225 places in the WTA Rankings to No. 544, breaking inside the Top 600 for the first time. Her previous career-high ranking was No. 755, reached in August 2024. Esquiva Banuls began 2026 ranked at No. 1125 and has more than halved her ranking.
While the teenager has focused primarily on World Tennis Tour events this season, she remains eligible to compete within junior tennis and has contested three Junior Grand Slams in 2026.
She reached the quarter-finals at the Roland Garros Junior Championships in June as she continues to take strides along the World Tennis player pathway, hopefully towards the game’s summit.
A full list of results from the World Tennis Tour can be found here