Ellen Perez Bio
Ellen Perez is an Australian professional tennis player. Born on 10 October 1995 in Shellharbour, New South Wales, she has built a career that has grown from junior competitions in regional Australia to the upper reaches of the WTA Tour. Her career-high singles ranking is No. 162, achieved in August 2019, while in doubles she has climbed as high as No. 7 in April 2024. She has won eight doubles titles on the WTA Tour along with three Challenger titles and a combined total of 21 ITF Circuit titles across singles and doubles.
Perez is recognized primarily as a doubles specialist, having reached the semifinals of two Grand Slams and the final of the WTA Finals. She has also represented Australia in team competition and at the Olympic Games. Standing 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in) tall and playing left-handed with a two-handed backhand, she has become a fixture of the doubles rankings in recent seasons and currently resides in Melbourne, Australia.
Early Life and Background
Ellen Perez was born on 10 October 1995 in Shellharbour, a coastal city in New South Wales, Australia. She is the daughter of John and Milića Perez, with Spanish heritage on her father’s side and Macedonian heritage on her mother’s side. Growing up in Australia with this multicultural family background, she was introduced to tennis at the age of three after receiving a totem tennis pole as a Christmas gift.
Her early enthusiasm for the sport translated into regular coaching from the age of seven, and by 2012 she had captured the Gallipoli Youth Cup held in Ipswich, Queensland, signaling her potential as a competitive junior. After completing her secondary schooling, she moved to the United States to play college tennis at the University of Georgia from 2014 to 2017, where she was named an All-American five times across singles and doubles.
Path to Professional Tennis
Perez made her debut on the ITF Women’s Circuit in March 2012 in Bundaberg, Australia, losing in three sets to Jennifer Elie. She continued to develop on the ITF Circuit, recording her first main-draw singles win in Toowoomba in September 2013 and capturing her first ITF doubles title in Hong Kong with Abbie Myers later that year. By the end of 2014, she had a singles ranking of 655 and a doubles ranking of 517, before enrolling at the University of Georgia.
During her college years, Perez played three seasons of NCAA tennis and earned five All-American honors. She returned to competitive play in June 2015, qualifying for events in Bethany Beach and reaching the doubles final in Charlotte. In July 2016, she qualified and won her first singles ITF title in Brussels without dropping a set, and won four doubles titles in five weeks. Her strong form was rewarded when she won the Australian Wildcard Play-off to earn her major singles debut at the 2016 US Open, where she faced Zhang Shuai in the first round.
Ellen Perez Career
Early Career (2012–2016)
Perez began her professional career on the ITF Women’s Circuit in Australia before expanding to international events. Her first singles title came in Brussels in July 2016, where she did not drop a set throughout the tournament. She also enjoyed a remarkable run in doubles, winning four titles in five weeks during the European summer swing of 2016.
Her Grand Slam debut came at the 2016 US Open in singles after winning the Australian Wildcard Play-off, although she lost in straight sets to Zhang Shuai. She also made her major main-draw debut in doubles at the 2016 Australian Open with Belinda Woolcock, where they were eliminated in the first round. By the end of 2016, Perez held a singles ranking of 632 and a doubles ranking of 414, setting the foundation for further progress.
WTA Tour Breakthrough (2017–2021)
Perez began 2017 with a wildcard into the Sydney International qualifying, where she defeated world No. 101 Kateryna Kozlova for her first win on the WTA Tour. She continued to develop her doubles game, reaching three consecutive finals in mid-2017 and winning one. In 2018, she was granted another wildcard into the Sydney International, where she upset world No. 11 Kristina Mladenovic before losing to Ashleigh Barty in the second round.
The 2019 to 2021 period marked her rise as a serious doubles contender. In March 2021, she won the Abierto Zapopan with Astra Sharma for her second WTA Tour title, and in July 2021 she partnered Samantha Stosur at the Tokyo Olympic Games, reaching the quarterfinals. She captured her third title at the 2021 Tenerife Ladies Open with Ulrikke Eikeri, finishing the year with a doubles ranking of No. 42.
Grand Slam and WTA 1000 Success (2022–2023)
The 2022 season was a breakthrough year for Perez. She reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, having never previously won a match at the All England Club, and followed that with back-to-back WTA 1000 doubles finals at the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open alongside Nicole Melichar. At the US Open, she advanced to her first Grand Slam semifinal in doubles, where she and Melichar fell to the Czech pair of Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova.
In 2023, Perez and Nicole Melichar-Martinez continued their strong partnership, reaching the French Open semifinals and qualifying for the WTA Finals in Cancun. Their run at the WTA Finals ended in the championship match against Laura Siegemund and Vera Zvonareva. By April 2024, Perez had climbed to a career-high doubles ranking of No. 7, cementing her place among the elite doubles players in the world.
Continued Elite Form (2024–2025)
Perez reached her fourth WTA 1000 final at the 2024 Dubai Tennis Championships with Melichar-Martinez, finishing as runner-up. The pair then won the 2024 Bad Homburg Open as top seeds, and returned to the US Open quarterfinals with a straight-sets win over the 11th-seeded team of Sara Sorribes Tormo and Marie Bouzkova. They also qualified for the 2024 WTA Finals, reaching the semifinals before falling to Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe.
At the start of the 2025 Middle East swing, Perez claimed the title in Abu Dhabi partnering Jelena Ostapenko. This victory returned her to the top 10 in the doubles rankings on 10 February 2025. She has continued to compete in mixed doubles as well, reaching the quarterfinals of the 2025 Australian Open and posting quarterfinal results at the US Open in 2021, 2023, and 2024.
Driving Style and Strengths
Although tennis does not involve driving, Perez has developed a doubles game built on sharp reflexes at the net, consistent returning, and effective left-handed angles. Her two-handed backhand provides stability in baseline exchanges, and her experience across multiple surfaces has made her a reliable partner in high-pressure matches. Her long-standing partnership with Nicole Melichar-Martinez has showcased her ability to coordinate court coverage and execute in decisive moments.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Perez’s most notable achievements are her Grand Slam semifinals at the 2022 US Open and 2023 French Open, her runner-up finish at the 2023 WTA Finals, and her Olympic quarterfinal appearance at the Tokyo 2020 Games. She reached a career-high doubles ranking of No. 7 in April 2024 and returned to the top 10 in February 2025 after winning in Abu Dhabi. Her Fed Cup appearance in 2022, where Australia reached the final, further highlights her role in national team competition.
Ellen Perez Career Wins
Ellen Perez has accumulated a strong collection of doubles titles across the WTA Tour, the WTA 125 Challenger Tour, and the ITF Circuit. With eight WTA Tour doubles titles, three WTA 125 titles, and 19 ITF doubles titles, her win count reflects both longevity and consistent performance on the professional circuit. In singles, she has won two ITF titles during the early stages of her career.
WTA Tour Doubles Highlights
Perez has won eight WTA Tour doubles titles, with her most recent coming at the 2025 Abu Dhabi event alongside Jelena Ostapenko. Earlier in her career, she won the 2021 Abierto Zapopan with Astra Sharma and the 2021 Tenerife Ladies Open with Ulrikke Eikeri. Her partnership with Nicole Melichar-Martinez produced titles including the 2024 Bad Homburg Open, where they won as the top seeds.
She has also reached 16 WTA Tour doubles finals as a runner-up, including the 2023 WTA Finals, two WTA 1000 finals in 2022, and a WTA 1000 final at the 2024 Dubai Tennis Championships. Her first WTA Tour-level victory came during the 2017 season, marking the start of a sustained run at the highest level of the women’s doubles game.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond her WTA Tour titles, Perez has won three doubles titles on the WTA 125 Challenger Tour and 19 doubles titles on the ITF Circuit. She has also represented Australia in the Fed Cup, reaching the final in 2022, and has competed at the Olympic Games in both women’s doubles and mixed doubles. Her ITF singles career produced two titles, with her first coming in Brussels in 2016.
Ellen Perez Family
Family Background and Heritage
Ellen Perez is the daughter of John and Milića Perez. She has Spanish heritage on her father’s side of the family and Macedonian heritage on her mother’s side, giving her a rich multicultural background. This family environment supported her early introduction to tennis, and her parents encouraged her development in the sport from a young age. She grew up in Shellharbour, New South Wales, before eventually relocating to Melbourne.
Personal Life
Perez currently resides in Melbourne, Australia. Details about her marital status, spouse, and children are not publicly confirmed in available sources, and she has generally kept her personal life private. She remains focused on her professional tennis career, training and competing in major tournaments around the world while representing Australia in team events and at the Olympic Games.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season has continued Ellen Perez’s strong form in doubles. At the Australian Open, she reached the third round in women’s doubles and the quarterfinals in mixed doubles, demonstrating her consistency across both disciplines. Her victory at the Abu Dhabi event in February, partnering Jelena Ostapenko, was a key early-season result that pushed her back into the top 10 of the doubles rankings.
Throughout the rest of the season, Perez has continued to compete in WTA 1000 events and major tournaments, building on her partnership experience with Nicole Melichar-Martinez and exploring new pairings. With a current doubles ranking inside the top 25 and a wealth of Grand Slam and WTA Finals experience, she remains a prominent figure in women’s doubles and a key contributor to Australia’s presence in international team competition. Her ability to perform on hard, clay, and grass courts positions her well for the latter half of the 2025 season and beyond.
