Kayla Day (born September 28, 1999) is an American professional tennis player. She has a career-high Women's Tennis Association (WTA) ranking of No. 122 in the world. As a junior, she won the one junior Grand Slam title, the 2016 US Open in girls event. There she also finished as runner–up in girl's doubles event, partnering with Caroline Dolehide. Despite having success as junior, Day is mostly spending time playing at the ITF Women's Circuit instead of WTA Tour, due to her ranking. She officially turned pro in 2017 at the Australian Open.
Early life and background
Kayla started playing tennis when she was seven years old. Her mother is from the Czech Republic.
Junior career
Kayla was No. 1 in the girls' 12s, 14s, 16s, and 18s US national rankings. In 2016, she climbed to No. 1 in the ITF junior rankings by winning the Junior US Open, reaching the semifinals at Wimbledon, and reaching the final at the Orange Bowl the previous year. She also won the 2016 Girls 18s National Championships to earn a wildcard into the main draw of the US Open.
Professional career
2016
Day made her WTA Tour debut at the Connecticut Open in New Haven, after reaching the main draw as a lucky loser, having defeated Naomi Broady and Kirsten Flipkens along the way. The following week, she played in her first career Grand Slam at the US Open and won her first match against compatriot Madison Brengle.
Shortly after turning 17, Day won her first career title at a $50,000 tournament in Macon. The following week at Scottsdale, she reached the semifinals to enter the top 200 for the first time. With her combined performance at these two events, Day won the Australian Open Wild Card Challenge to earn a spot in the main draw at the first Grand Slam event of 2017.
2017
Day picked up her first WTA Tour wins of the season — and first wins of her career at a Premier Mandatory event — at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, including a victory over 2017 Australian Open semifinalist Mirjana Lučić-Baroni to reach the third round of the tournament.
Grand Slam performance timeline
Key
| W
|
F
|
SF
|
QF
|
#R
|
RR
|
Q#
|
A
|
NH
|
(W) Won; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (A) absent; (NH) not held. SR=strike rate (events won/competed)
To avoid confusion and double counting, these charts are updated at the conclusion of a tournament or when the player's participation has ended.
Singles
| Tournament |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020
|
2021
|
SR |
W–L |
Win %
|
| Australian Open
|
A
|
1R
|
Q3
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
0 / 1
|
0–1
|
0%
|
| French Open
|
A
|
Q2
|
Q1
|
A
|
A
|
|
0 / 0
|
0–0
|
–
|
| Wimbledon
|
A
|
Q1
|
A
|
A
|
NH
|
|
0 / 0
|
0–0
|
–
|
| US Open
|
2R
|
1R
|
Q1
|
A
|
A
|
|
0 / 2
|
1–2
|
33%
|
| Win-Loss
|
1–1
|
0–2
|
0–0
|
0–0
|
0–0
|
|
0 / 3
|
1–3
|
25%
|
Doubles
| Tournament |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020
|
2021
|
SR |
W–L |
Win %
|
| Australian Open
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
0 / 0
|
0–0
|
–
|
| French Open
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
|
0 / 0
|
0–0
|
–
|
| Wimbledon
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
NH
|
|
0 / 0
|
0–0
|
–
|
| US Open
|
2R
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
|
0 / 1
|
1–1
|
50%
|
| Win-Loss
|
1–1
|
0–0
|
0–0
|
0–0
|
0–0
|
0 / 1
|
1–1
|
50%
|
ITF Circuit finals
Singles: 3 (1 title, 2 runner–ups)
| Legend
|
| $100,000 tournaments
|
| $80,000 tournaments
|
| $50,000 tournaments
|
| $25,000 tournaments
|
| $15,000 tournaments
|
| Result
|
W–L
|
Date
|
Tournament
|
Tier
|
Surface
|
Opponent
|
Score
|
| Loss
|
|
May 2016
|
ITF Naples, United States
|
25,000
|
Clay
|
Valeria Solovyeva
|
4–6, 0–6
|
| Win
|
|
Oct 2016
|
Classic of Macon, United States
|
50,000
|
Hard
|
Danielle Collins
|
6–1, 6–3
|
| Loss
|
|
Feb 2017
|
ITF Rancho Santa Fe, United States
|
25,000
|
Hard
|
Bianca Andreescu
|
4–6, 1–6
|
Doubles: 3 (2 titles, 1 runner–up)
| Legend
|
| $100,000 tournaments
|
| $80,000 tournaments
|
| $60,000 tournaments
|
| $25,000 tournaments
|
| $15,000 tournaments
|
| Result
|
W–L
|
Date
|
Tournament
|
Tier
|
Surface
|
Partner
|
Opponents
|
Score
|
| Loss
|
|
Feb 2017
|
Dow Classic, United States
|
100,000
|
Hard (i)
|
Caroline Dolehide
|
Ashley Weinhold
Caitlin Whoriskey
|
6–7, 3–6
|
| Win
|
|
Feb 2017
|
ITF Rancho Santa Fe, United States
|
25,000
|
Hard
|
Caroline Dolehide
|
Anhelina Kalinina
Chiara Scholl
|
6–3, 1–6, [10–7]
|
| Win
|
|
Feb 2019
|
ITF Rancho Santa Fe, United States
|
25,000
|
Hard
|
Sophia Whittle
|
Eudice Chong
You Xiaodi
|
6–2, 5–7, [10–7]
|
Junior Grand Slam finals
Girls' singles: 1 (1 title)
| Result
|
Year
|
Tournament
|
Surface
|
Opponent
|
Score
|
| Win
|
2016
|
US Open
|
Hard
|
Viktória Kužmová
|
6–3, 6–2
|
Girls' doubles: 1 (1 runner-up)
