Alina Korneeva: Remember the Name (In Case You Forgot It)

Three years after being one of the most highly touted junior prospects in recent memories, Alina Korneeva is finally making a big impression on the WTA Tour. In 2023 the Russian, whose father was an Olympic medalist in volleyball, became the first woman to win the first two junior Grand Slam titles of a season since 1990, and the first woman to win back-to-back girls’ singles Slams since Belinda Bencic in 2013. 

Since turning pro her progress has been slowed by a pair of big injuries – a wrist surgery in 2024, and an adductor issue in 2025. Both came after she had inched up the rankings, and was inside the Top 200. 

She has been playing regularly since last summer, and the results have been excellent. 

Korneeva, now one of six teenagers inside the WTA’s Top 100, backed up her win over Emma Navarro by earning her first Top 20 win on Friday in Toronto, over fellow teen Iva Jovic. She is into the round of 16 at a 1000-level event for the first time in just her second appearance at that level. 

That brings her back to her career-high ranking of No.75 in the WTA live rankings, with a fourth-round match with either Coco Gauff or Maria Sakkari looming. 

How does Korneeva feel about the difference between the pros and the juniors, after 22 career matches at the WTA-level? 

“There’s a big difference, especially the mental-wise,” she said. “Everyone knows that in juniors it could happen that you win the tough game and then the opponent gives you presents. Now I feel like as I play more against good players, top players, I have to be into the match every single point. I have to be in full focus.”

Korneeva certainly did that today against Jovic, who is currently one of three tens inside the WTA’s Top 20. 

Korneeva won 60 percent of her return points and 60 of 103 points overall against . She also doubled up Jovic in the winner category – 14 to 7 – and made just six unforced errors in the one hour and 22-minute contest. 

“I think the main goal for me now is to play like all the matches without ups and downs,” she said. “That’s the main goal for me to improve.”

Korneeva prefers to put her junior memories in the past. Understood, as she probably doesn’t want to take questions about why Mirra Andreeva is so far ahead of her in the pros even though she defeated the Russian in the 2023 Australian Open junior final. 

“It gave me more confidence when I moved to a professional tour,” the former junior world No.1 said of her junior achievements. “When I was playing like ITF 75 and 100K, it gave me this confidence. But in general, all of us, we’re already different. We’re much more mature than we were when we were 14. We are thinking in different ways. Everyone has their own life, their own ways, their own goals.”