US Open: Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff or Ons Jabeur – Who could inherit Serena Williams mantle?

Of course, this is easier said than done for two reasons – Williams was a remarkably consistent performer, one whose dominance never came close to being matched. And the women’s tennis tour hasn’t often seen consistent performers in recent times. Nevertheless, a few women currently on the WTA will be gunning for Serena’s spot as the top player in women’s tennis. 

The first and most obvious choice is the current world number one, Iga Swiatek. The Polish star is only 21 yet currently resides atop the world of women’s sport. 

She has already won two French Open titles and five WTA Masters events. Swiatek has also won two WTA 500 titles, meaning she has already won 11. 

And given she very much has age on her side, it is fair to assume she will only get better. But she isn’t the only player who can claim the throne Serena has vacated. 

Williams’ compatriot and rising teen sensation Coco Gauff is another player one could easily make a case for in terms of being the next Serena Williams. 

Gauff has openly admitted to being a fan of the Williams sisters growing up and, at just 18 years old, is already ranked 12th in the world. 

She’s won two titles so far in her career, which is impressive given she is just 18 years old. She only started playing on the WTA tour in 2019 and has many years ahead of her. 

However, in her case, she is still awaiting her Grand Slam breakthrough. Her best chance came in the 2022 French Open, where she reached the final but lost to Swiatek. 

Still, her potential remains evident, and she could well be the one to be tennis’ next big star. Yet, there is another woman who would want to claim that crown first. 

And her name is Ons Jabeur. The Tunisian is an exception to both Swiatek and Gauff in that she doesn’t have age on her side. She’s currently 28 and yet to win a Grand Slam. 

She has, to date, only won three WTA titles in her career. But 2022 has been a solid year for her; she made it to the final of Wimbledon only to lose and is also in the semis of the US Open. 

The one advantage she has over Gauff and Swiatek is that she is in the prime of her career. Unlike the other two, she doesn’t need to do too much work on her game. However, what works against her is that she only has a few years left at the top. 

Regardless, whichever of these women goes on to become the next queen of tennis; they will have their work cut out for them in terms of matching Williams. 

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