WTA Players

ELISE MERTENS

Belgium

Road to Singapore

12th

SINGLES

5th

DOUBLES

D.O.B.
Nov 17
1995

Height
5' 10"
1.79 m

Weight
148 lbs.
67 kg

Plays
Right-handed
Two-handed backhand

Status
Pro
2013

Personal

Turned pro in 2013...Coached by Dieter Kindlmann...Previously trained under Belgian Federation until early teens, also spent a year at the Mouratoglou Academy in Paris...Favorite surface is grass, favorite shot is the serve...Began playing tennis at age 4, introduced to game by older sister Lauren, an airline pilot with KLM...First tennis memory is watching Kim Clijsters playing live...Mother is Liliane Barbe (teaches languages and history); father is Guido Mertens (makes furniture for churches)...Was home schooled, enjoyed studying languages...Loves animals and has lots of pets at home, four dogs and a variety of birds (pheasants, peacocks, chickens, cranes)...Speaks English, Dutch/Flemish, and French...short term goal is to end season inside the Top 100, describes qualifying for her first Grand Slam main draw at the 2016 US Open as "fulfilling an important goal."

Career Highlights

SINGLES
Winner (4): 2018 - Hobart, Lugano, Rabat; 2017 - Hobart.
Finalist (1): 2017 - Istanbul.
DOUBLES
Winner (6): 2018 - Hobart, 's-Hertogenbosch, Wuhan (both w/Schuurs), Lugano (w/Flipkens); 2017 - Guangzhou (w/Schuurs); 2016 - Auckland (w/Mestach).
Finalist (4): 2018 - Birmingham, Cincinnati (both w/Schuurs); 2017 - Bucharest (w/Schuurs), Istanbul (w/Melichar).

ADDITIONAL
Belgian Fed Cup Team, 2017-18.

Career Review

2017 - Enjoyed career-best season, ending year ranked No.35 for first Top 50 finish; won career first WTA singles title as a qualifier at Hobart (d. Niculescu in final); reached second tour-level final at Istanbul (l. to Svitolina in final); enjoyed best Grand Slam run so far by reaching 3r at Roland Garros (l. to V.Williams); SF at Bastad (l. to Wozniacki), New Haven (l. to Cibulkova) and Luxembourg (l. to Puig); QF at Biel (l. to Kontaveit) and Tokyo [Japan Open] (l. to McHale); reached 2r six times; fell 1r on eight occasions (incl. Wimbledon and US Open) and in qualifying four times.

2016 - Played first WTA main draw at 's-Hertogenbosch (as qualifier, l. to Mladenovic in QF); reached 2r once; fell 1r once (US Open) and in qualifying nine times; won one singles title on ITF Circuit.

2015 - Played first WTA qualifying at Antwerp; fell in qualifying on six other occasions; also won two titles on ITF Circuit.
2014 - Won four titles on ITF Circuit.

2013 - Won four titles on ITF Circuit.

2012 - Played on ITF Circuit.

2011 - Did not play.

2010 - Played first events of career on ITF Circuit in Belgium.