How have Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe developed into one of the WTA's most dynamic doubles teams?

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.)

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Zheng went 31-5 between Wimbledon and the end of the year this year. Those 31 wins were the most by any player on the women's tour in that span.

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.

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“People want to see me playing longer. I think people feel bad about my health stuff,” said Danielle Collins. "For me, I want to go out playing my best tennis, because I certainly wouldn’t want to go out playing my worst tennis."

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.