On The Sit-Down podcast, Kimberly Birrell revealed she probably would not have believed it if someone told her she would one day become the top-ranked Australian woman.
Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 25 February 2025 | Matt Trollope
Kimberly Birrell’s incredible form at the beginning of 2025 has seen her attain tour-level milestones and a career-high ranking.
The Queenslander has won 13 of the 16 matches she’s played this season, peaking at world No.75 on 10 February.
Currently ranked 76th, she’s the highest-ranked Australian woman in the WTA standings, and said on this week’s episode of The Sit-Down podcast that she can’t quite believe it.
“Honestly it doesn’t change too much for me, but it’s been cool to I guess be reminded of it in a few interviews and take a minute to just appreciate where I’m at,” Birrell said.
“Because as a kid, if you had have said that I would be ranked the highest in Australia, I just probably wouldn’t have believed it or I just would have been so amazed.
“Obviously there’s been quite a few injuries within our female cohort within Australia, so I’m not comparing myself to the other girls. And I know that Dasha [Saville] and Ajla [Tomljanovic], when they’re back playing at their best, they’re gonna be ranked well inside the top 100.
“So yeah, not thinking too much about it, but at the same time it is really special.”
Aussie camaraderie, how good 💚💛
The Sit-Down with @kimbirrell98 🎧 https://t.co/sxtzlxGsGi pic.twitter.com/Rl1ZV1u1aw
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 24, 2025
It’s only February, but already Birrell has reached the quarterfinal stage at two WTA tournaments this year. The 26-year-old managed the same number in 2023 and 2024, but it took her until October both times to notch her second.
The biggest of those was at this year’s Brisbane International, the first time she has progressed to a tour-level quarterfinal above WTA 250 level.
She came within a point of the semifinals, and that, coupled with her successful run through the qualifying rounds at AO 2025, vaulted her inside the top 100.
Then came another WTA quarterfinal in Singapore, before she returned home and won the Pro Tour event in Brisbane – an ITF75 level event at which she dropped only one set in five victories.
That title boosted her inside the top 75 and improved her 2025 win-loss record to 13-3.
Thanks to her form, and her position as Aussie women’s No.1, she was named as the first member of Australia’s Billie Jean King Cup team, which will take on Kazakhstan and Colombia at Pat Rafter Arena in April.
MORE: Birrell to lead Australia’s Billie Jean King Cup team in Brisbane qualifier
Birrell said on The Sit-Down that she was thrilled to represent Australia for the first time on home soil.
“I’ve represented Australia in BJK Cup a few times now, and I just have the best time every single time, and it’s such an honour to represent Australia and to wear the green and gold,” said Birrell, who is competing at this week’s WTA tournament in Austin, Texas.
“I haven’t had the chance to play a tie, be a part of a tie in Australia – I did go to the one in Perth [the 2019 final] but I wasn’t a named member of the team. So to be able to do that in April, and then to have it in Brissy, in what’s basically my home town, will be absolutely amazing, and I can’t wait.
“I think I can speak for all of the girls that I hope we can play and bring some really good tennis and keep doing what we do on court and make everyone proud.”
Listen to the full episode of The Sit-Down, a weekly podcast released each Monday featuring an in-depth interview with a notable tennis identity. Subscribe to The Sit-Down in your favourite podcast player.
