Sara Saito made her first significant move in the professional game after winning the biggest title of her fledgling career on the ITF World Tennis Tour at W100 Biarritz.

The 17-year-old Japanese player conquered all before her at the French clay court event in a hugely impressive week that began with a three-set triumph over former world No. 10 Kristina Mladenovic and culminated in a 5-7 6-3 6-3 victory over another Frenchwoman, Margaux Rouvroy, in the title match.

Saito, a former girls’ world No. 2 whose junior career was highlighted by quarter-final showings at the 2023 US Open and 2024 Australian Open, appears to be taking to the professional tour with consummate ease.

She began the 2024 season with runner-up finishes at W50 Nonthaburi and W75 Burnie, and underlined her burgeoning potential with a run to the final round of qualifying at Roland Garros.

Her triumph this weekend at a W100 event – the highest grade on the ITF World Tennis Tour - marks her second professional singles crown, adding to her victory on home soil at W25 Makinohara last October.

As a result, Saito leaps 44 spots in the WTA rankings to a career-high No. 166 this week.

Portugal's Francisca Jorge also made a leap into the Top 200 this week, rocketing to a career-high No. 181 after winning the biggest title of her career on home soil at W75 Guimaraes.

The 24-year-old defeated rising American Liv Hovde, 18 - the 2022 junior Wimbledon champion - 6-3 6-4 for her first title of the year, sixth overall, and first above W25 level.

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