She is the surprise of this 2024 end of season. Far from the excitement of the WTA Finals, an unorthodox player was hiding in plain sight.
Aged just 20, Aoi Ito has made incredible progress over the last two months, reaching the semi-finals in her first WTA tournament main draw participation.
Her secret? Having fun on court
« She just plays the game the right way, full of creativity, smile on her face »
In the ultra-competitive world of tennis, some players surprise us with their detachment, almost as if the pressure of the stakes, the media spotlight or the nerve-racking stress of performing couldn't affect them.
Despite being a novice on the circuit, Aoi Ito definitely belongs to that rare category of players who play a surprisingly creative style of tennis, far from the traditional patterns of play.
Smiling through her victories as well as her defeats, the young Japanese simply seems to enjoy performing her art.
If you haven't yet had the chance to discover her, Aoi Ito plays an intelligent tennis style based on the meticulous construction of her points and the ability to break her opponents' rhythm.
Not particularly tall or powerful, the current 127th-ranked player in the world enjoys drawing her opponents into a false rhythm based on the use of slice.
Underneath her beautiful smile lies a formidable player capable of toppling Sofia Kenin, the former world No. 4, at the Hiroshima tournament last October. Having shown some great potentials in 2024, Ito could well make a name for herself in 2025...
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