At just 18, Tereza Valentova is proving that her junior dominance was no fluke. The Czech rising star, ranked No. 78, has stormed through the draw this week to set up a semifinal clash with Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian.
From Junior Glory to Tour Reality
Barely a year ago, Valentova was known mostly to tennis insiders—a former junior world No. 4 and 2024 Roland-Garros girls’ singles and doubles champion. Her WTA breakthrough came on home soil at the Prague Open, where she made her first tour-level semifinal and broke into the Top 100 for the first time. That momentum carried her to New York, where she scored her maiden Grand Slam main-draw win at the US Open over Lucia Bronzetti before bowing out to Elena Rybakina in Round 2.
Fearless and Fast-Tracking
This week, Valentova has looked every bit like she belongs among the pros. After advancing through qualifying, she dismantled Alexandra Eala 6–1, 6–2, stunned third seed Elise Mertens 6–4, 6–1 for her first Top-25 victory, and outlasted sixth seed Olga Danilović in a gritty three-set battle.
Cristian’s Window of Opportunity
Awaiting her in the semifinals is Jaqueline Cristian, the world No. 47, who advanced after top seed Naomi Osaka’s withdrawal. The 27-year-old Romanian has made the most of her week, defeating Elisabetta Cocciaretto and No. 8 seed Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. With two career finals already under her belt, Cristian will see this as a golden chance to reach a third—though she’ll have to overcome the fearless energy of a Czech teenager in full bloom.