Yuliia Starodubtseva (UKR): first week in the top 50 — up to No. 43, from a previous best of No. 53, in the week of September 14, 2026. Here is the road, from the record.
It began in September 2015: Lost to Polyarush in the second round of qualifying at Bucha, with no ranking to speak of.
The steps came in this order: first ITF title in March 2023; first week in the top 300 in July 2023; first week in the top 250 in July 2023; Grand Slam qualifying debut in August 2023 (No. 203 at the time); first WTA 125 main draw in October 2023 (No. 172 at the time); Grand Slam main-draw debut in January 2024 (No. 150 at the time); first tour-level main draw in April 2024 (No. 136 at the time); first Grand Slam main-draw win in July 2024 (No. 153 at the time); first week in the top 100 in October 2024.
From the first recorded match to the top 100 took 9 years and 1 month.
Today Starodubtseva is ranked No. 42, with 124 weeks inside the top 500 on record.
Nobody on Unseeded was following Starodubtseva before this week. The next one is out there.