The WTA Finals—the season-ending championship of women's tennis—begins on Monday, October 20 in Singapore. Throughout eight days, we'll take a closer look at the seasons put forth so far by the eight singles competitors.

Eugenie Bouchard is deserving of the Most Improved award for the WTA. She has a deceptive, unique game; taking the ball on the rise, she takes time away from her opponents. She’s a hitter, and blessed with the mental strength and determination to make such a high stakes game pay off.

Bouchard made the semifinals at the first three Grand Slam events this year, but then showed signs of faltering under the pressure of her rise to overnight stardom.  The most interesting detail in her career may be that thus far she’s won just one WTA title; that occurred this year at Nurnberg, Germany, where the highest ranked player she beat was No. 63 Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova.

It’s difficult to pick a 6-3, 6-0 beatdown as a “high point,” but then not many players get to play a Wimbledon final, especially so early in their careers.

The hype in Montreal late this summer was off the charts thanks to Bouchard’s performance at Wimbledon, but it was painful to watch her, frozen like a deer in the headlights, throughout her three-set, first round loss to qualifier Shelby Rogers.

This would be a wonderful place for Bouchard to punch through and win a big title, and she’s played well enough this fall to count as a legitimate contender. The round-robin format undoubtedly will help relax her—as will the distance between Montreal and Singapore (more than 9,000 miles, if you’re counting).

Bouchard’s appeal and “marketability” in a nation that has never produced a player of comparable talent are a potent combination—and a potentially dangerous distraction if she has trouble establishing herself as an elite champion.

WTA Finals Previews

Sunday, October 12: Agnieszka Radwanska
Monday, October 13: Ana Ivanovic
Tuesday, October 14: Caroline Wozniacki
Wednesday, October 15: Eugenie Bouchard
Thursday, October 16: Maria Sharapova
Friday, October 17: Petra Kvitova
Saturday, October 18: Serena Williams
Sunday, October 19: Simona Halep