Formerly worked with Alexander Kneepkens, Robbie Ceyssens, Dieter Kindlmann, Daniel Goffin and Philippe Dehaes Previously trained under Belgian Federation until early teens, also spent a year at the Mouratoglou Academy in Paris Mother is Liliane Barbe (teaches languages and history); father is Guido Mertens (makes furniture for churches). Began playing tennis at age 4, introduced to game by older sister Lauren, an airline pilot with KLM First tennis memory is watching Kim Clijsters playing live Was home schooled, enjoyed studying languages; speaks English, Dutch/Flemish and French Loves animals and has lots of pets at home In 2021, launched a charitable initiative to support the Virunga National Park's efforts to save the gorilla population in the Democratic Republic of Congo. During 2021 season she will be wearing a Virunga Ranger necklace and sporting a badge on her bag to help raise awareness .

SINGLES Winner (10): 2025 - 's-Hertogenbosch, Singapore 2023 - Monastir 2022 - Monastir 2021 - Gippsland Trophy 2019 - Doha 2018 - Hobart, Lugano, Rabat 2017 - Hobart Finalist (6): 2025 - Hobart 2024 - Hobart 2021 - Istanbul 2020 - Prague, Linz 2017 - Istanbul DOUBLES Winner (23): 2025 - WTA Finals, Wimbledon (both w/V.Kudermetova) 2024 - Australian Open, Indian Wells, Birmingham (all w/Hsieh) 2023 - Guadalajara, Rome (both w/Hunter) 2022 - Dubai, WTA Finals Fort Worth (both w/Kudermetova) 2021 - Australian Open (w/Sabalenka), Istanbul (w/Kudermetova), Wimbledon, Indian Wells (both w/Hsieh) 2020 - Ostrava (w/Sabalenka) 2019 - Indian Wells, Miami, US Open (all w/Sabalenka) 2018 - Hobart, 's-Hertogenbosch, Wuhan (all w/Schuurs), Lugano (w/Flipkens) 2017 - Guangzhou (w/Schuurs) 2016 - Auckland (w/Mestach) Finalist (14): 2025 - Rome, Madrid (both w/Kudermetova) 2023 - Wimbledon (w/Hunter) 2022 - Doha, Miami, 's-Hertogenbosch (all w/Kudermetova), Birmingham, Wimbledon (both w/Zhang) 2021 - WTA Finals (w/Hsieh) 2019 - Wuhan (w/Sabalenka) 2018 - Birmingham, Cincinnati (both w/Schuurs) 2017 - Bucharest (w/Schuurs), Istanbul (w/Melichar) WTA 125 TITLES AND FINALS DOUBLES Winner (1): 2016 - Limoges (w/Minella) Finalist (1): 2015 - Taipei (w/Melnikova)

Won two titles in 2025 at Singapore and 's-Hertogenbosch to mark ninth and tenth career singles titles; also reached the final at Hobart for second consecutive year; finished the 2025 season ranked inside the singles Top 20 for a fifth year (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021) and inside the doubles Top 5

Lifted a fifth Grand Slam doubles trophy in 2025 at Wimbledon with Veronika Kudermetova; the pair then went on to win the year-end WTA Finals title for a second time together after 2022

Kicked off 2024 season with R-Up finish at Hobart (l. Navarro) which marked her 13th WTA singles final. In doubles won Australian Open, Indian Wells and Birmingham all w/ Hsieh Su-Wei and qualified for WTA Finals for sixth consecutive time

Ended 2023 as only Top 100 player to finish year exactly where she started, at No.29. Strongest singles results came at Monastir, successfully defending her title (d. Paolini), and SF at Monterrey (l. Garcia). Achieved a year-end doubles ranking of No.2 after lifting two titles at Guadalajara and Rome (w/Hunter) and SF at WTA Finals Cancun (l. eventual champions Siegemund/Zvonareva).

Finished 2022 ranked No.29 in singles, her sixth consecutive Top 50 finish; also finished No.5 in doubles for her fourth consecutive Top 10 finish in doubles and second consecutive Top 5 finish

Lifted seventh WTA title, at 2022 Monastir (d. Cornet in F), while in doubles alongside partner V.Kudermetova won Dubai and WTA Finals, as well as finished R-Up at Wimbledon

Enjoyed a productive start to 2021 season in Melbourne, triumphing at the Gippsland Trophy (d. Kanepi in F) to lift sixth WTA singles title, then teamed up w/Sabalenka at Australian Open to claim second Grand Slam doubles title (d. Krejcikova/Siniakova in F). Later in the year, won third career Grand Slam doubles title, at Wimbledon w/Hsieh

Won the most matches on Tour in 2020, going 34-13 across the season and finishing as R-Up at both Prague (l. Halep) and Linz (l. Sabalenka)

Earned her milestone 200th career main draw win with victory over Kalinina in 1r at 2020 Linz

Singles highlights in 2019 were winning biggest title of career at Doha (d. No.3 Halep in final) and advancing to QF at US Open for the first time (l. eventual champion Andreescu in 3 sets)

Enjoyed standout season in doubles in 2019 - won maiden major doubles title at US Open w/Sabalenka (d. Azarenka/Barty in F). Also Completed 'Sunshine Double' in doubles (w/Sabalenka), lifting the back-to-back titles at Indian Wells (d. Krejcikova/Siniakova) and Miami (d. Stosur/Zhang), and qualified for Shiseido WTA Finals Shenzhen (went 1-2 in RR)

Advanced to first Grand Slam SF of career at 2018 Australian Open (l. eventual champion Wozniacki)

During 2018, lifted titles at Hobart, Rabat and Lugano, finishing with 46 main draw match wins across the campaign - only Ka.Pliskova (49) and Kvitova (47) registered more. By contrast, prior to 2018 season owned only 36 wins at this level across entire career

In doubles in 2018, won four titles and reached QF at WTA Finals (w/Schuurs)

Finished 2017 season at No.35, up from No.120 in 2016 - first Top 50 and Top 100 year-end finish. Season highlighted by first career singles title at Hobart (as a qualifier, d. Niculescu in F)

Registered first Top 10 win of career over No.10 Cibulkova in 1r at 2017 Beijing

Made WTA singles main draw debut at 2016 's-Hertogenbosch - made QF (as qualifier, l. Mladenovic)

Won first WTA title of any kind in doubles at 2016 Auckland (w/Mestach)

Played first Tour-level event of career at 2015 Antwerp (fell in qualifying)

Played first events of career on ITF Circuit in Belgium in 2010; owns 11 singles and 14 doubles titles on ITF Circuit