Zheng Qinwen, Paula Badosa and Danielle Collins made powerful statements in 2024

Looking back, looking forward. With the 2024 WTA season in the books, Joel Drucker has nine notable storylines to consider over the next few weeks—before the next year of women's tennis begins. (On mobile devices, scroll down to read more WTA takeways; on desktop, you'll see additional entires on the left side of your screen.)

Three formidable ball-strikers each made statements of note in 2024.

Zheng Qinwen, WTA Newcomer of the Year in 2-22 and Most Improved in 2023, vaulted into the Top 10 with such stellar performances as a gold-medal run at the Olympics, and runner-up finishes at the Australian Open and WTA Finals.

Paula Badosa, ranked 66th at the end of 2023—but once as high as No. 2 back in 2011—made a spirited comeback back to No. 12.

Collins, ranked 71st in February, announced plans to retire at year’s end—a step that proved arguably liberating. The formidable American earned back-to-back titles, first on hard courts at the Miami Open, then the next week on clay in Charleston. Collins now stands at No. 11, and in October, decided she wanted to keep competing in ’25.

“The DANIMAL story has not reached its conclusion,” Collins posted on social media.

And Collins' season continues Thursday in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals.