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Nine rising stars
Christina McHale
After pulling off some big upsets -- over then-No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki in August, eighth-seeded Marion Bartoli at the U.S. Open and third-ranked Petra Kvitova this March -- McHale started wearing the rep of a giant killer. Not that she sees herself as an underdog. "I go into every match thinking if I play some of my best tennis, I can win," says the 19-year-old from New Jersey, who covers the court with a speed that separates opponents from their game plans. McHale is currently No. 32 on the WTA ladder, which makes her the second-highest ranked American, behind only Serena Williams. And at the rate she's going, McHale's "upsets" are becoming more and more like regular old wins.
