Elise Mertens

• Currently coached by Simon Goffin, brother of ATP player David. Formerly worked with Robbie Ceyssens and Dieter Kindlmann
• 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

Career Highlights

SINGLES
Winner (7): 2022 – Monastir; 2021 – Gippsland Trophy; 2019 – Doha; 2018 – Hobart, Lugano, Rabat; 2017 – Hobart.
Finalist (4): 2021 – Istanbul; 2020 – Prague, Linz; 2017 – Istanbul.
DOUBLES
Winner (16): 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 (11): 2022 – Doha, Miami, ‘s-Hertogenbosch (all w/Kudermetova), Birmingham (w/Zhang), Wimbledon (w/Zhang); 2021 – WTA Finals (w/Hsieh); 2019 – Wuhan (w/Sabalenka); 2018 – Birmingham, Cincinnati (both w/Schuurs); 2017 – Bucharest (w/Schuurs), Istanbul (w/Melichar).