Rising WTA stars Victoria Mboko and Janice Tjen named in ITF ‘Class of 2025’

The International Tennis Federation has officially unveiled its “Class of 2025”, spotlighting the most promising and fast-rising talents from the ITF World Tennis Tour, and among the standout names are Victoria Mboko and Janice Tjen, two players whose rapid ascent this season has caught the attention of the tennis world.

Joining Mboko and Tjen in the Class of 2025 are Lilli Tagger, Arnaud Bailly, and Luka Mikrut, all recognised for exceptional performances across the ITF circuit. However, Mboko and Tjen distinguished themselves further by carrying that momentum onto the WTA Tour, making significant breakthroughs at the highest level of the sport.

Victoria Mboko: From ITF Circuit to WTA Stardom

Mboko’s 2025 season ranks among the most dramatic rises in women’s tennis. The teenager began the year ranked No. 333, grinding her way through ITF tournaments across Europe and the Caribbean. That early workload paid off quickly.

Related News: Victoria Mboko stuns Naomi Osaka to win 2025 Canadian Open title in Montreal

She captured five ITF titles, surged into the top 200 by March, and earned a wildcard entry into the Miami Open, where she claimed her first WTA Tour-level victory at a WTA 1000 event.

Her upward trajectory continued at Roland Garros, where she navigated the qualifying rounds to make her Grand Slam debut and reach the third round, a run that pushed her into the top 100 for the first time.

Mboko’s true breakout moment arrived at the Canadian Open. Playing with fearless confidence, she defeated Grand Slam champions Coco Gauff, Sofia Kenin, and Elena Rybakina en route to her maiden WTA final. In a stunning finale, she came from a set down to beat former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka, becoming only the second wildcard in the Open Era to win the tournament.

That triumph catapulted her from No. 85 to No. 24 in the rankings. She wasn’t finished. A second WTA title followed in October at the Hong Kong Open, lifting her into the top 20. Mboko ended the season ranked No. 18, firmly established among the elite.

“I’m very happy to be recognised as part of the Class of 2025 by the ITF,” Mboko said. “It really means a lot to me. Starting the year playing many ITF tournaments gave me confidence, match fitness, and mental strength that helped me later on the WTA Tour.”

Janice Tjen: Indonesia’s Breakthrough Star

Janice Tjen’s rise in 2025 was equally compelling. The 23-year-old Indonesian enjoyed a blistering three-month stretch on the ITF circuit, winning six ITF titles and climbing steadily toward the top 200 by the end of July.

Her breakthrough moment came at the US Open, where she made her Grand Slam debut after qualifying and stunned 24th seed Veronika Kudermetova in three sets. The victory made Tjen the first Indonesian woman to win a Grand Slam singles match since 2003.

Tjen followed that achievement with her first WTA final at the SP Open, finishing runner-up before capturing her maiden WTA title at the Chennai Open in October. She also lifted the trophy at the WTA Challenger Jinan Open, completing a remarkable run.

Those results sparked a rapid rankings climb from No. 102 in late September to No. 53 by early November, placing her firmly among the tour’s most exciting emerging players.

“The ITF World Tennis Tour has helped me progress by providing many competitive opportunities across different levels,” Tjen said. “The volume of matches and the challenges I faced throughout 2025 really helped me develop my game.”

ITF Recognition Signals Bigger Things Ahead

The ITF’s Class of 2025 award is designed to highlight players whose development pathways showcase the importance of the World Tennis Tour. For Mboko and Tjen, the recognition reflects not just short-term success, but the foundation they have built for sustained careers at the top of women’s tennis.

With both players now established on the WTA Tour and climbing fast, their inclusion in the ITF Class of 2025 feels less like a prediction, and more like confirmation that the next generation has truly arrived.

SportsLigue