First French teenager to win a WTA title since 2016
Left-handed and Madagascar-born, she won the São Paulo title in only her third tour-level main draw, then made her Australian Open debut on Rod Laver Arena five months later.
Career-High Rank
No. 116
2 FEB 2026
Current Rank
No. 116
10 FEB 2026
Age
20
B. 15 DEC 2005
WTA Titles
1
ANTSIRABE, MDG
Birthplace
Antsirabe, Madagascar
Trains
Toulouse & Plaisir, France
ITF Titles
4 singles
Plays
Left-handed
Backhand
Two-handed
Best Slam
1R — Australian Open, Roland Garros
The week that changed everything nearly ended in its first match. Ranked No. 214 and playing only her third tour-level main draw at the inaugural São Paulo WTA 250 in September 2025, Rakotomanga Rajaonah trailed Ana Sofia Sánchez 5-0 in the deciding set of the first round and faced three match points. She saved all of them, won the match, and never looked back — beating Janice Tjen 6-3, 6-4 in the final to become the first French teenager to lift a WTA trophy since Océane Dodin in 2016, and the lowest-ranked champion on tour since 2023.
"Relief. I felt all the pressure leave my body. I couldn't believe it." — On winning São Paulo, wtatennis.com
The title vaulted her 83 places to No. 131, and the momentum carried through the winter: a first Australian Open main draw in January 2026 — drawn against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka on Rod Laver Arena — and a career-high No. 116 at the start of February. Born in Antsirabe, Madagascar, and raised in Toulouse from the age of six, she has set her 2026 targets on playing all four Grand Slams and cracking the top 100.
"Just relax, apply your tennis and everything will go right."
ON SAVING THREE MATCH POINTS FROM 0-5 DOWN IN SÃO PAULO · WTATENNIS.COM"…the class of Federer and the attitude of Nadal."
ON THE GAME SHE WANTED TO BUILD · WTATENNIS.COM, "20 QUESTIONS""I've managed to win a lot of matches with that drop shot."
ON HER TRADEMARK SHOT · WTATENNIS.COM, "20 QUESTIONS"