Storm Sanders

Sanders began her year ranked 674 in the world. Her first tournament was the Sydney International, where she received a wildcard into qualifying. She stunned Eugenie Bouchard in the first round in two tiebreak sets, but lost in the second round against Misaki Doi. Sanders then received a wildcard into qualifying at the Australian Open where she lost in the first round against Yuliya Beygelzimer. In February, after failing to qualify for the Burnie International, Sanders celebrated a breakthrough victory, winning the $25k Launceston Tennis International tournament.[4][5] She won through both, the qualifying and main draws, without dropping a set. She also achieved the rare feat of defeating the top seeds in both the qualifying draw (Mari Tanaka) and the main draw (Olivia Rogowska) en route to victory. Sanders reached the top 500 in the WTA rankings for the first time after the tournament win. A month later, she reached the final of the $25k event in Ipswich, Queensland, losing to Jelena Pandžić in three sets.[6]

In July, together with her British partner Naomi Broady, Sanders won the $50k Gold River Challenger, defeating Robin Anderson and Lauren Embree, in straight sets.[7]

In the US Open qualifying, she lost in the first round to Nigina Abduraimova from Uzbekistan.[8]

Sanders began the season at the Brisbane International, having received a wildcard into qualifying. She opened with a three-set win over Irina-Camelia Begu.[9] Although taking the opening set, Sanders lost against third seed Hsieh Su-wei in the second round, in three sets.

The following week, she was awarded a wildcard to the main draw of the Hobart International. A first-round win over Peng Shuai[10] saw her match up with second seed Kirsten Flipkens. Pushing the top-20 ranked Belgian to the brink, Sanders lost in a tough three-set match, lasting over two and a half hours.[11] Despite the close loss, it was announced that Sanders had been given a wildcard into the singles main draw of the Australian Open,[12] having been given wildcards for the doubles draw the previous two years. She played Camila Giorgi in round one, losing on her Grand Slam singles debut, in three sets.[13] She also lost in the first round of women's and mixed doubles.

Given a wildcard for the Hobart International,[14] Sanders lost in round one to Camila Giorgi, in three sets. She was then given a wildcard for the Australian Open, but lost at the first stage again, this time to world No. 46, Klára Koukalová, in straight sets.[15]

In July, she qualified for the Jiangxi International - the first time Sanders has come through qualifying at a WTA-level event.[16] She lost to Vania King in the first round. In October, she reached the second round of the Toowoomba ITF event. In November, Sanders won the ITF Canberra doubles title with Jessica Moore.

She attempted to qualify for the Hobart International and Australian Open, losing in the first round. Her best singles performance was a quarterfinal appearance in September at the ITF Brisbane.

In doubles, Sanders won the Nottingham Open, with Monique Adamczak in June. It was their first WTA Tour title.[17] Sanders made two further WTA tournament finals that year.

Sanders played four doubles tournaments in 2018, losing all four in the first round. In 2019, she said "I started getting some shoulder pain which got more intense. I played the Aussie Open that year just focusing on doubles, but after that I stopped played completely and was basically out for all of 2018."[18]

Sanders returned to singles competition in October 2019, after almost a two-year absence. She won the Playford International in her second tournament back.[19] In doubles, she won four ITF doubles titles in 2019.

She won her second WTA doubles title at the 2020 Thailand Open.

Sanders made the semifinals in mixed doubles at the Australian Open with Marc Polmans.

In February, she qualified for and defeated four higher-ranked opponents to advance to her first WTA-level singles quarterfinal at the Adelaide International, eventually losing to Belinda Bencic.[20] In March, Sanders entered the WTA top 200 for the first time.

In May, she qualified for a Grand Slam tournament for the first time at the French Open.[1] In June at Wimbledon, she reached the semifinals in women's doubles with Caroline Dolehide.

In July, Sanders reached her second WTA-level quarterfinal at the Prague Open. She also reached the semifinals in doubles at the same event.[21] At the Tokyo Olympics, Sanders partnered Ashleigh Barty in the ladies' doubles and they reached the quarterfinals.[22]

In November, Sanders represented Australia at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. She recorded the biggest win of her singles career, beating world No. 18, Elise Mertens, in her BJK Cup debut.[23] Sanders then defeated Yuliya Hatouka promoting Australia to the semifinals[24] where she lost to Jil Teichmann.[25]

In January 2022, Sanders won her third and the biggest WTA Tour title, at the Adelaide International, alongside Ashleigh Barty.[26]