Storm Hunter (Sanders)

Fast Facts

Sport: Tennis
Event: Women's doubles
Olympic History: Tokyo 2020
Coach: Nicole Pratt
Year Born: 1994
State Born: QLD

About Storm

Rockhampton-born rising tennis star Storm Hunter (nee Sanders) began playing tennis at the age of 6 after watching a match on television. 

Storm has won two singles titles and 13 doubles titles on the ITF Circuit since she went pro in 2011. After two years on the tour, she won her maiden singles title at the Launceston International in February 2013, followed by her first doubles title five months later at the Gold River Challenger alongside Naomi Brady. 

Storm won her maiden WTA Doubles Title at the Aegon Open, Nottingham in 2017, alongside Sydney-born Monique Adamczack. The pair defeated first seeded duo Dabrowski and Savchuk in the first round, facing two more three-set matches enroute to the final. They faced English team Jocelyn Rae and Laura Robson in the final, defeating them in a third set tiebreak to lift the women's doubles trophy at the grass court tournament. 

Storm struggled with shoulder pain that ruled her out of competition for over a year. She returned to the WTA Tour after almost two years, winning the ITF Playford International in the singles event upon her return. 

She picked up her second WTA Doubles title at the Hua Hin Championships in Thailand in 2020. Storm teamed up with Arina Rodionova, winning the final with a score of 6-3, 6-3, her first hard court WTA Career title.

Storm made her Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, taking to the court in the women's doubles alongside Ash Barty. The pair were on fire, winning their first two matches without dropping a set. They faced top seeds and eventual champions Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova of Czechia in the quarter finals, falling in three sets (3-6 6-4 10-7). 

Storm achieved the biggest feat of her career in 2022, taking the US Open mixed doubles title with fellow Aussie John Peers. It was also her first slam final of any kind, taking to Arthur Ashe Stadium with John as 4th seeds in the mixed doubles draw. The pair defeated Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) and Edouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA) in a 86 minute battle at Arthur Ashe Stadium, 4-6 6-4 10-7. It was the pair's first tournament as a team, with Storm winning her first grand slam title and John's second. 

In the next month, Storm would go on to win her first WTA 1000 title, winning the women's doubles at the Guadalajara Open alongside Luisa Stefani of Brazil. The pair defeated Anna Danilina (KAZ) and Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA) 7-6(4) 6(2)-7 10-8.

Consequently, Storm reached a career high doubles ranking of 8th in the world, finishing the 2022 season ranked 10th.