Grand Slam Review of 2024: Yonex’s Paolini lights up two finals

Tokyo, JAPAN - Team Yonex made a strong impression at the Grand Slams in 2024. At three of the four majors - Roland-Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open - a Yonex athlete appeared in the women's singles final. And it almost happened at the Australian Open too, where a Yonex ambassador, who had started in qualifying, went as deep as the semi-finals.

The best days of Paolini's life

Jasmine Paolini (ITA), who is one of the happiest and sunniest people in tennis, had every reason to be smiling on court during 2024. When the season began, she had never gone beyond the second round at any of the Grand Slams, but she made her first major final at Roland-Garros and then, a little over a month later, appeared in her second when she played for the Venus Rosewater Dish on Wimbledon's Centre Court. While becoming the first Italian woman to feature in a Wimbledon singles final, the Yonex ambassador also joined a very small and exclusive club of women to have played in major finals in Paris and London in the same season. From the clay to the grass, they were some of the best days of Paolini's life, and she will do everything she can to be back on that stage in 2025.

Three of the four Wimbledon semi-finalists

Paolini's victory over fellow Yonex ambassador Donna Vekic (CRO) - which lasted for almost three hours - was the longest Wimbledon women's singles semi-final in history. It was also one of the most compelling matches ever played at the All England Club, on the day when Vekic was making her first appearance in the last four of a major. With former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina (KAZ) also putting a long run together, three of the four semi-finalists were competing with Yonex racquets, which was another reminder of how many of the world's best players put their trust in the Japanese brand.

Pegula's maiden Grand Slam final

Jessica Pegula (USA) was another Yonex ambassador who went deeper into a Grand Slam draw than ever before. Until this season, she had never progressed further than the quarter-final of a major but she had a breakthrough at her home Grand Slam, the US Open in New York City, with a run to the final that captivated the American public.

From qualifying to the semi-finals for Yastremska

In another notable performance by a Yonex athlete at the majors, Dayana Yastremska (UKR) became the first qualifier since 1978 to make the Australian Open semifinals. Just as significantly, she was also the first Ukrainian to make the semi-finals at Melbourne Park.

Teenager Noskova beats the World No. 1

Linda Noskova (CZE) had the most astonishing run at the Australian Open, where she was the first teenager in almost 15 years to defeat the World No. 1 at a Grand Slam. That was on the way to reaching her first major quarterfinal.

Navarro's fast improvement

At every Grand Slam in 2024, Emma Navarro (USA) kept on improving her best ever result. At the Australian Open, she reached the third round of a major for the first time, only to better that at Roland-Garros by progressing into the fourth round. A quarterfinalist at Wimbledon, the American went even further into the draw at the US Open where she made the semi-finals. With all the momentum she has built up during 2024, will Navarro have even more impact at the Grand Slams in 2025?

Fifteen consecutive Grand Slams for de Groot

The remarkable Diede de Groot (NED) - who is by some margin the most dominant player in modern tennis - took the wheelchair women's singles titles at the Australian Open, Roland-Garros and Wimbledon, which meant she has won the last 15 Grand Slam titles. That also took her to an unprecedented 23 majors.

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