PLAYER PROFILE

Kimberly Birrell

1
AUSTRALIAN
RANKING
62
WTA
RANKING
  • Age26
  • Born29 April 1998
  • Birth PlaceGermany
  • LivesHope Island, QLD
  • PlaysRight-handed
  • CoachChris Mahony & John Birrell
“Every time I've ever played for Australia, it's been so meaningful. But I think there was definitely an added layer [today].”

— Kimberly Birrell, 12 Apr 2025

» Joint, Birrell score maiden BJK Cup wins as Australia beats Colombia

On court

  • In 2012, proved herself to be an outstanding doubles player, after she won the Sydney Junior International with fellow Aussie Maddison Inglis
  • Reached the semifinals on her favourite playing surface in the doubles of Optus 14s Claycourt Championships, as well as the Grasscourt Championships (both in 2012)
  • Was the Under 16s champion in the Medibank Age Championships, as well as the Rod Laver QLD Junior Championships
  • In 2014, reached the semifinals of the Australian Open junior girls’ singles event
  • Debuted in Australia’s Fed Cup team in 2016, facing Dominika Cibulkova in the World Group II quarterfinals against Slovakia
  • As a wildcard, upset Paula Badosa and No.29 seed Donna Vekic en route to the third round at Australian Open 2019, her first Grand Slam main-draw victories
  • Missed most of the 2020 and 2021 seasons due to an elbow injury
  • Won more than 40 singles matches in a resurgent season in 2022, rising from outside the top 700 to end the year at No.167.
  • Made top-150 debut in January 2023, after reaching Australian Open second round as a wildcard (defeated No.31 seed Kaia Kanepi)
  • Won the first overseas title of her career at the ITF 60K event in Orlando, Florida in February 2023.
  • That same month, reached first WTA singles quarterfinal at Mexico, beating three top-100 players in a row as a qualifier
  • Says that one of the best things about being a tennis player is being able to travel, although she still thinks the Gold Coast is the best city in the world
  • Became Australia’s top-ranked woman in singles for the first time in August 2023
  • Made top-100 debut in singles in September 2023 and finished season as top-ranked Australian woman
  • Was among a record five Australian women to qualify at US Open 2024.

Year-end singles ranking history

2024 115
2023 113
2022 167
2021 734
2020 735
2019 245
2018 285
2017 356
2016 506
2015 361
2014
2013 818

Kimberly Birrell in the news

Joint, Birrell score maiden BJK Cup wins as Australia beats Colombia
Maya Joint (L) and Kimberly Birrell celebrate their Billie Jean King Cup singles victories over Colombia at Pat Rafter Arena (Photos: Getty Images & Tennis Australia)
12 April, 2025

Australia raced to victory over Colombia at Pat Rafter Arena on Saturday, ending its Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers campaign on a high.
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The OG: Australia’s Billie Jean King Cup Orange Girl
Kimberly Birrell (L) with team Orange Girl Emerson Jones ahead of the 2025 Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers in Brisbane (photo: Josh Woning)
12 April, 2025

Emerson Jones is the latest example in a long tradition of Orange Girls learning lessons from, and forging connections with, established members of the Australian Billie…
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Australia seeks redemption against Colombia
April 10: Storm Hunter (AUS) and Ellen Perez (AUS) during the 2025 Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers at Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane, Queensland on Thursday, April 10, 2025. Photo by Josh Woning
11 April, 2025

Australia returns to Pat Rafter Arena on Saturday to take on Colombia, seeking a second-place finish at the Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers.
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Billie Jean King Cup: Kazakhstan seals victory over Australia
Elena Rybakina (L) shakes hands with Kimberly Birrell after winning the second singles rubber of the Australia v Kazakhstan tie at Pat Rafter Arena
10 April, 2025

Elena Rybakina's win over Kimberly Birrell cemented an unassailable 2-0 lead for Kazakhstan over Australia, before Storm Hunter and Ellen Perez tightened scores with…
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