2024 H-E-B Women's Pro Tennis Open Bios

EKATERINA MAKAROVA (1)                                   

Age: 28.  WTA Ranking: 213 (Career-high: 158).  2024 Highlights: Title at W35 Heraklion (Oct), Finalist at W75 Hechingen (Aug).  Career Highlights: Career high ITF Singles Ranking of 5 (2019), 3 Titles in 2018 (W15 Stellenbosch).  Extra: Started playing at age 7 and plays right-handed.  Instagram: @makarova__96

ANASTASIA TIKHONOVA (2)

Age: 23.  WTA Ranking: 188 (Career-high: 151).  2024 Highlights: Second round of qualifying at French Open and Wimbledon.  Career Highlights: Titles at W100 Dubai and W40 Phobal (2023), W60 Pretoria (2022).  Extra: Started playing at age 5 and prefers to play on hard courts.  Instagram: @_anastasiatikhova

ALINA CHARAEVA (3)

Age: 22.  WTA Ranking: 234 (Career-high: 197).  2024 Highlights: Title at W50 Ourense, Finalist at W100 Les Franqueses del Valles (Barcelona).  Career Highlights: 7 Total Titles, including W25 Monastir (2023) and W15 Nules (2022).  Extra: Started playing at age 5 and prefers to play on hard courts.  Instagram: @alina.charaeva

IRENE BURILLO ESCORIHUELA (4)

Age: 27.  Country: Spain.  WTA Ranking: 217 (Career-high: 207).  2024 Highlights: Title at W35 Erwitte (Aug), First round at French Open.  Career Highlights: 5 Titles, including W25 Lisbon and W60 Rome (2021).  Extra:  Started playing at age 7 and plays right-handed.  Instagram: @irbues_

SOPHIE CHANG (5)

Age: 27.  Hometown: Baltimore.  WTA Ranking: 239 (Career-high: 217).  2024 Highlights: Title at W75 Evansville, IN (Jul), Finalist at W75 Sumter, SC (Jun).  Career Highlights: 2 Titles in 2022, including W25 Sumter, SC and W25 Vero Beach, FL.  Extra: Turned pro instead of attending the University of Virginia.  Instagram: @sophiechang10s

LINA GLUSHKO (6)

Age: 24.  Country: Israel.  WTA Ranking: 237 (Career-high: 201).  2024 Highlights: Title at W50 Pretoria (Feb), Finalist at W50 Lopota (Apr).  Career Highlights: Titles at W25 Kiryat Motzkin (2021) and W15 Akko (2018).  Extra: Older sister Julia played on the WTA Tour.  Instagram: @lina_glushko

GABRIELA KNUTSON (k-NUTE-son) (7)

Age: 27.  Country: Czechia.  WTA Ranking: 235 (Career-high: 155).  2024 Highlights: Title at W50 Corroios-Seixal (July), Finalist at W50 Montemor-o-Novo (Jun).  Career Highlights: 4 Titles in 2023, including W40 Quinta do Lago.  College highlights: At Syracuse: Two-time All-American (2018 and 2019).  Extra: Started playing at age 3 and prefers to play on hard courts.  Instagram: @gabrielaknutson

CAROL ZHAO (8)

Age: 29.  Country: Canada.  WTA Rankings: 266 (Career-high: 131).  2024 Highlights: First round of qualifying at French Open and Wimbledon, Second round of qualifying at the Australian Open. Career Highlights: 4 Titles, including W100 Charleston, SC (2022) and W100 Shenzhen (2018).  College highlights: At Stanford: All-American, played singles and doubles from 2014-2018.  Extra: Plays right-handed and was born in Chongqing, China.  Instagram @carolzhao95

HARUKA KAJI

Age: 30.  Country: Japan.  WTA Ranking: 275 (Career High: 213).  2024 Highlights: Finalist at W50 Ourense, W35 Roehampton.  Career Highlights: 6 Titles, including W25 Hamamatsu and W25 Nanao (2022).  College Highlights: Graduated from Sonoda Women’s University in Amagasaki, Japan.  Extra: Oldest singles player in the tournament.  Instagram: @kaji.haruka

CLERVIE NGOUNOUE (JE)

Age: 18.  Hometown: Washington, D.C.  WTA Ranking: 325 (Career-high: 299).  2024 Highlights: Title at W50 Dallas, TX (July), W35 Naples, FL (Jan).  Career Highlights: Finalist at W25 Austin (2022), First round loss at US open (2023).  Extra: Junior Wimbledon Girls Single Champion (2023).  Instagram: @clervie_magloire

KAYLA CROSS

Age: 19.  Country: Canada.  WTA Ranking: 273 (Career-high: 273).  2024 Highlights: Title at W35 Saskatoon (Aug), Finalist at W75 Toronto (Nov) and W75 Granby (July).  Career Highlights: Reached career high ITF Singles Ranking of 1 (Dec 2023).  Extra: Left-handed player.  Instagram: @kayla_tennis_1

JAMIE LOEB

Age: 29.  Hometown: Bronxville, New York.  WTA Ranking: 421 (Career-high: 132).  2024 Highlights: Title at W50 Mexico City (Feb). Career Highlights: 11 Titles, including W25 Malibu, CA (2023) and W25+H Figueira Da Foz (2022).  College Highlights: At North Carolina: NCAA National Champion and ACC Player of the Year (2015).  Extra: North Carolina’s first singles tennis champion.  Instagram: @jloeb308

VICTORIA HU 

Age: 22.  Country: Northborough, Mass.  WTA Ranking: 313 (Career-high: 262). 2024 Highlights: 2 Titles at W35 Santo Domingo (May and June), Finalist at W35 Wichita, KS.  Career Highlights: Reached career high ITF Singles Ranking of 39 in 2023.  College Highlights: At Princeton: First-team All-Ivy League (2022).  Extra: One season at Princeton before turning pro.  Instagram: @vickyhu8

MALAIKA RAPOLU (WC)

Age: 21.  Hometown: Cedar Park, TX.  WTA Ranking: 809 (Career-high: 809).  2024 Highlights: 2 Titles at W15 Huamantla (Oct).  Career Highlights: ITA National Player of the Year and Women’s Tennis CWSA Honda Award Winner (2024).  College Highlights: At Texas: 2021 and 2023 Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team.  Extra: 2 Time ITA Scholar-Athlete, Majors in Management Information Systems.  Instagram: @malaika.rapolu

MARY STOIANA

Age: 21.  Hometown: Southbury, CT.  WTA Ranking: 298 (Career-high: 297).  2024 Highlights: Title at W75 Edmond (Oct), Finalist at W75 Evansville, IN (July).  Career Highlights: ITA National Player of the Year and Women’s Tennis CWSA Honda Award Winner (2024).  College Highlights: At Texas A&M University: SEC Player of the Year (2023, 2024), NCAA Tournament MVP (2024).  Extra: Started playing at age 4 and prefers to play on hard courts.  Instagram: @marystoiana

VICTORIA MBOKO

Age: 18.  Country: Canada.  WTA Ranking: 350 (Career-high: 284).  2024 Highlights: Title at W35 Darmstadt, Finalist at W35 Berkeley, CA.  Career Highlights: 3 Titles, including W60 Saskatoon (2023) and W25 Saskatoon (2022).  Extra: Finalist at two Grand Slam junior tournaments in 2022 (doubles).  Instagram: @vickymboko

CATY MCNALLY (WC)

Age: 22.  Hometown: Cincinnati, OH.  WTA Ranking: 817 (Career-high: 54).  2024 Highlights: 2nd round at W125 Puerto Vallarta and W125 Midland, MI.  Career Highlights: 3 Titles, including W115 Midland 125K Series (2022) and W100 Midland, MI (2019).  Extra: Recently recovered from her March elbow surgery.  Instagram: @catymcnally

WHITNEY OSUIGWE 

Age: 22.  Hometown: Bradenton, FL.  WTA Ranking: 352 (Career-high: 105).  2024 Highlights: Semifinals at W35 Berkeley, CA (Sep) and W100 Irapuato (Feb).  Career Highlights: 2 Titles, including W80 Charlottesville, VA (2019) and W80 Tyler, TX (2018).  Extra: Contributed to Team USA’s 2017 Junior Fed Cup victory.  Instagram: @whitney_osuigwe

ALANA SMITH

Age: 25.  Hometown: Fort Washington, MD.  WTA Ranking: 393 (Career-high: 357).  2024 Highlights: Finalist at W75 Edmond, OK (Oct), Semifinalist at W100 Tyler, TX (Oct).  Career Highlights: Semifinalist at W25+H Tauste-Zaragoza.  College Highlights: At NC State: Qualified for NCAA singles championships (2020-2021) and 3-Time Doubles All-American (2019-2021).  Extra: 2022 season cut short by ankle injury.  Instagram: @lasmitty7

KARINA MILLER (WC)

Age: 22.  Hometown: Ann Arbor, MI.  WTA Ranking: 487 (Career high).  2024 Highlights: W35 Punta Cana & W15 Huntsville, Alabama.  Career Highlights: W35 Punta Cana & W15 Huntsville, Alabama.  College Highlights: At Michigan: Female Athlete of the Year (2024), Four-time All Big 10 (2021-2024).  Extra: Started playing at age 3 and prefers to play on hard courts.  Instagram: @kari.millerr

CHARLOTTE KEMPENAERS-POCZ

Age: 20  Country: Australia  WTA Ranking: Unranked, (Career-high: 760).  2024 Highlights: This is her first tournament in 2024.  Career Highlights: Semifinalist at W15 Port Pirie (2019), Career-high junior ranking of 35.  Extra: Enrolled at Texas in January 2024.  Instagram: @charlotte_k_p 

JAIMEE FOURLIS

Age: 25.  Country: Australia.  WTA Ranking: 326 (Career-high:147).  2024 Highlights: Title at W35 Amstelveen (July) Semifinalist at W100 Tyler (Oct).  Career Highlights: 9 Titles, including W25 Burnie (2023), W25 Madrid and W60 Brasov (2022).  Extra:   Instagram: @jaimeefourlis_

MADISON SIEG

Age: 21.  Hometown: Greenwich, CT.  WTA Ranking: 338 (Career-high: 294).  2024 Highlights: Title at W35 Aschaffenburg (July), Semi-Finalist at W50 La Marsa (Jun).  Career Highlights: Title at W15 Naples, FL (2022), Finalist at W25 Guimaraes (2023).  College Highlights: At USC: ITA All-American Singles and Doubles honors, Pac-12 Conference First Team (2023).  Extra: Mom Heliane was a five-time All-American tennis player at USC from 1983-1986.  Instagram: @maddysieg

GABRIELA LEE 

Age: 29.  Country: Romania.  WTA Ranking: 311 (Career-high: 136).  2024 Highlights: Finalist at W75+H Vero Beach, FL.  Career Highlights: 5 Titles, including W100 Bonita Springs, FL (2022), W25 Redding, CA (2019).  College Highlights: At Texas Tech: ITA All-American (2017 and 2018), No. 1 in program history for singles wins (22).  Extra: Qualifying round of the French Open (2022).  Instagram: @gtalaba

AMELIA HONER

Age: 21.  Hometown: Newtown, PA.  WTA Ranking: 679 (Career-high: 674).  2024 Highlights: Title at W35 Bakersfield, CA (Oct), Semifinalist at W15 Lakewood, CA (July).  Career Highlights: Title at 2021 UTSA National 18’s Clay Court Championships.  College Highlights: At UC Santa Barbara: Two-time Big West Player of the Year (2022 and 2023), ITA All-American (2023).  Extra: Most memorable sports moment was playing in the Junior US Open (2021).  Instagram: @ameliahoner

JASMIJN GIMBRERE

Age: 23.  Country: Netherlands.  WTA Ranking: 553 (Career-high: 442).  2024 Highlights: Semifinalist at W15 Bucharest (Aug), Quarterfinalist at W35 Køge (July).  Career Highlights: Title at W15 Giza (2021), Finalist at W25 Bujumbura (2023).  Extra: Instagram: @jasmijngimbrere

ESZTER MERI

Age: 21. Country: Slovakia.  WTA Ranking: 601 (Career-high: 528).  2024 Highlights: Title at W15 Krsko (July), Finalist at W15 Mogyorod (July).  Career Highlights: Semifinalist at W15 Sharm ElSheikh (2023) and W15 Oberpullendorf (2022).  Extra: Beginning her first year at the University of Texas.  Instagram: @mesztiz-