21 under 21 to watch in '21: Varvara Gracheva

Baseline is looking ahead to the new year by showcasing 21 players under 21 to watch out for in '21. To make the coveted list, players must be born in 2000 or later.

Just last year, Varvara Gracheva claimed her first ever WTA main draw win at Washington D.C.'s Citi Open. But the 20-year-old's 2020 started off on a shaky note. She would fall just short of reaching the Australian Open's main draw. From there, she would suffer four consecutive losses before the tour shutdown.

Although she took a few more first-round losses when the tour re-opened, she picked up momentum at the US Open with her first Top-50 win, against Kristina Mladenovic.

Following her successful run in New York, she would make a quick and seamless switch over to the clay at an ITF event in France, reaching the semifinals. She'd reach her career-high ranking of No. 89 just after.

Ranking: No. 94

Age: 20 (August, 2, 2000)

What she did in 2020: Claimed her first Top-50 win against Mladenovic at the US Open in epic fashion. Gracheva trailed the Frenchwoman, 6-1, 5-2, 40-love, and crawled her way back to upset Mladenovic 1-6, 7-6 (2), 6-0, to reach her first third round showing at a major.

Instagram:@gracheva_varvara

Skill Highlights: Her biggest weapon is between her ears: she maintains her focus and composure no matter the score. Her ability to handle high pressure situations by focusing on the task at hand makes her a huge threat.

Career Highlights: Last year she won three ITF-level titles and she has captured seven in total. In her Grand Slam debut this year, she made her deepest run by reaching the US Open's third round.