Australian No 1 Arina Rodionova has made tennis history by becoming the oldest woman to make a first appearance in the world’s top 100.
The 34-year-old climbed to a career-high ranking when she beat Chinese prospect Bai Zhuoxuan 3-6 6-1 6-0 in the Thailand Open in Hua Hin on Thursday night.
The victory ensures that Rodionova will crack the top 100 at the age of 34 years and 52 days, when the next WTA rankings are announced on Monday, continuing an amazing late-career rise partly fuelled by indignation.
Rodionova has finally broken through the top-100 barrier after a professional career which began 20 years ago in Russia.
The veteran is Australia’s No 1-ranked female player but was last month denied an Australian Open wildcard by Tennis Australia, and was later knocked out in the qualifiers.
Rodionova revealed that she felt she was suffering a personal vendetta at the hands of the governing body.
“The only regrets I have from today is just I gave Tennis Australia something to celebrate,” Rodionova had said defiantly after her first-round qualifying loss in Melbourne.
“I think they are very pleased with my result today and that’s what makes me upset.”
Rodionova won seven lower-level ITF singles titles in 2023 in a breakthrough year after recovering from a serious wrist injury.
In her first competition since the Australian Open, the Russian-born player has given the authorities further food for thought by now becoming the only Australian woman to feature in the top 100.
Currently ranked at 101, her run in Hua Hin will elevate her, provisionally, to No 96 when the new rankings come out, to continue an outstanding rise for a player who at the start of 2023 was ranked 302nd.
If Rodionova wins the tournament, she could shoot up to the verge of the top-70.
The next-best ranked Australian is Kim Birrell at No 124.
By roaring back to win the last 11 games on the trot against 21-year-old Bai, Rodionova has now booked her spot in just the second tour-level quarter-final of her career.
The last time she got to the last-eight was in Nanchang, China, seven years ago.
After already knocking out two Chinese players on her run, Rodionova will now have to get past a third, second seed Zhu Lin, on Friday.
The world No 45, Zhu ensured there would be three Chinese players in the last eight as she defeated Linda Fruhvirtova 6-2 6-2.
Rodionova will also feature in the doubles semi-final on Friday, alongside Chinese partner Yuan Yue, who she beat in the first round of the singles.
