The life of a WTA Tour player offers little time to savour even the biggest wins.
Just a week after the US Open wrapped up, Iva Jovic picked up her first WTA title at the Guadalajara Open.
The victory not only saw the American teenager equal a Coco Gauff record but also boosted her ranking to a career-best world number 36.
Jovic is expected to climb even higher in the rankings in 2026. However, she was not alone in making headlines last week, as another young talent also found herself in the spotlight.
Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah loses just days after Sao Paulo title win
WTA tennis made a return to Brazil last week with a 250-level event held in Sao Paulo.
Held right after the US Open, the tournament field was not as strong as others on the calendar, but it still featured some notable names like Beatriz Haddad Maia, Alexandra Eala and Ajla Tomljanovic.
In the end, it was Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah who took home the title, defeating Janice Tjen in the final.
The 19-year-old Frenchwoman is one of five teenagers to win a WTA title this year. She has climbed over 200 places in the rankings to achieve number 131, her career-high so far.
Looking to build on her recent success, she entered the WTA 125 event in Caldas da Rainha, where former world number one Karolina Pliskova also made her return to competition.
After coming through her opening match against Valentina Ryser, Rakotomanga Rajaonah’s run came to an end in round two with a straight-sets loss to world number 270 Carol Young Suh Lee.
Having recently graduated from The Georgia Institute of Technology, Lee, who is four years older than Rakotomanga Rajaonah, could be one to watch.
What comes next for Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah?
While the end of a winning run is always a bit of a letdown, there is still plenty for Rakotomanga Rajaonah to look forward to.
With only a few months left this season, one clear target for the Frenchwoman will be cracking the top 100, which would secure her direct entry into the Australian Open.
That goal is not out of reach either. She is currently 158 points shy of breaking into the top 100.
And with only 41 points to defend before the season ends, she should have opportunities to play higher-level events thanks to her new ranking high.
The plan now is for Rakotomanga Rajaonah to take a short break before heading to Turkey for another WTA 125 event in Samsun.
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