Tennis Star Gazing

The tennis stars are realigning. An incredible era of champions is slowly coming to an end, leaving space for a new set of players to ascend. Some members of the ‘next generation’ have already captured major titles and the attention of fans. Others are just beginning to rise. But their stories promise to be exciting in a whole new way. We aren’t here to predict who will win the next tournament, or even the next match, but instead, to take a look at how the new world of tennis celebrity is shaping up — who are the players to watch, and why.

A  Quick Review

In the men’s game, the ‘big three’ have won 65 of the last 80 Grand Slam tournaments in a run that started in 2003. Yes, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have had the game on lock for twenty years. But Federer has retired and Nadal appears to be succumbing to injury. Djokovic, still going strong at 36, now stands alone at the top of the game, having won 23 major trophies when he clinched the French Open this year.

The big story in men’s tennis, then, is how long can Djokovic keep winning? And who can stop him? So far, the ‘next gen’ challengers (Stefanos Tsistipas, Taylor Fritz, Alexander Zverev, Holger Rune, Casper Ruud) have fallen short in the most important matches. Only Daniel Medvedev has managed to defeat Djokovic in a final, winning the US Open in 2021--he hasn’t beaten him since. Insiders say the young Spanish player Carlos Alcaraz, with his Nadal-like topspin and superhuman court coverage will take Djokovic’s place at the top of the game. Vogue Magazine has already dubbed him the ‘new king of tennis.’ Alcaraz failed to meet the challenge when he faced Djokovic in the French Open final this year. But he came roaring back at Wimbledon, winning the title by beating Djokovic in an epic five-set match that lasted over four hours. We can’t wait to see what happens if the two face off again in 2023’s last major tournament, the U.S. Open.

Serena Williams has been THE story in women’s tennis for more than two decades. She won her first Grand Slam in 1999, following that up with an astounding 22 more. Officially retiring after losing in the third round of the US Open last year, she will long (always?) be considered the GOAT (greatest of all time). She certainly changed women’s tennis forever, playing with unprecedented power and intensity. Her massive talent, combined with a compelling backstory and larger-than-life persona have made ‘Serena’ a global celebrity, transcending the game of tennis. Wow. Let’s agree that there will never be ‘the next Serena Williams.’

Thank You, Next

To qualify as a tennis star one must have the potential to win major titles as well as a personality that ‘clicks’ with fans. Naomi Osaka, winner of four Grand Slam trophies, captured the hearts of tennis audiences (and beyond) with her emotional honesty and brave decision to take a public stand on social issues. Osaka, who just gave birth to her daughter Shai, is currently off the tour. Tennis fans will have to wait and see if she returns to the top of the game.

Iga Swiatek, who won the French Open this year, is the current number one player in women’s tennis. Sports journos have coined the term ‘Iga’s Bake Shop’ because she’s been doling out ‘bagels and breadsticks’ to her opponents in a flurry of 6—0, 6—1 score lines. While Swiatek has yet to become a ‘household name’ despite her recent dominance, she’s quite popular in her own country of Poland. Her success has reportedly caused a ‘tennis boom’ there, inspiring many young people there to take up the game.

Swiatek seems superhuman, but she faltered at this year’s Australian Open, losing in the fourth round. Aryna Sabalenka took that crown, unleashing a devastating onslaught of forehand winners. The 24-year-old Belarussian is certainly a tennis star, although this marked her first major singles title since turning pro in 2015. Fans have long embraced Sabalenka, thanks to her overwhelming power and candid personality. Surprisingly, both Swiatek and Sabalenka failed to make the finals of Wimbledon in July.

But their losses only added to the drama. This year’s Wimbledon ladies singles finalists were Ons Jabeur and Marketa Vondrousova. Vondrousova was the unexpected champion, becoming the first unseeded female player ever to win the tournament. The final was an emotional one–it was Jabeur’s third loss in a major final. She competed in both the Wimbledon and US Open finals in 2021 (losing to Elena Rybakina and Swiatek, respectively). Born in Tunisia, Jabeur is arguably the most successful singles player from an African nation ever to play the game. Her image graces billboards in her home country, according to a recent profile in Vogue Arabia, and Tunisians can purchase Ons Jabeur postage stamps. Her positive attitude has earned her the nickname “the Minister of Happiness” of the WTA, but even she couldn’t hide the pain she felt upon losing the Wimbledon final for a second time. She has vowed to come back stronger.

One-Hit Wonderfuls!

We officially want to retire the phrase ‘one-hit wonders.’ Any player who manages to win a Grand Slam tournament deserves to be celebrated indefinitely—looking at you Sloane Stephens, Barbora Krejcikova, Bianca Andreescu, Emma Raducanu and Elena Rybakina. These amazing women certainly have the talent to be champions once again, and we are cheering for them all. Rybakina won Wimbledon last year and competed in this year’s Australian Open final. Her three-set battle there against Sabalenka was one of the most exciting matches in recent memory, establishing an intriguing rivalry. Yes, please!

Under Pressure

Winning on big stages is amazing (whether just once or, say, over twenty times). But with major wins comes pressure and expectation. An ability to handle these two foes often makes the difference between being a tennis star and a true legend. (Pressure is a privilege, Billie Jean King said, famously.) While almost all serious tennis players are hard on themselves, much of the detrimental ‘noise’ comes from outside sources. 

Journalists can be relentless. Social media presents an entirely new challenge, but good luck tuning it out--players hoping to court fans and sponsors are expected to engage. Excessive hype can be a real setback for budding champions. For example, American Coco Gauff, 19, and Brit Emma Raducanu, 20, both received outsized amounts of media attention. Their losses on court became, unfairly, too important. Wouldn’t it be great if  the press backed off a bit, allowing the young players to catch up to their own promise…. Well, we can hope, can’t we?

American Dreams

Coco Gauff—still a teenager, mind you--is just one of an exciting crop of American tennis aces. Danielle Collins has become a Grand Slam runner up twice. Jessica Pegula has also been making deep runs into major tournaments, playing in four quarter finals thus far. (She and Gauff are currently crushing it as doubles partners.) Madison Keys just made a deep run in Wimbledon. Alycia Parks is currently ranked in the top 50 on the WTA tour. The six-foot one powerhouse from Georgia is poised to rise even higher. On the men’s side, Sebastian Korda, Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe are all in the hunt for their first breakthrough into Grand Slam victory rather than playing the role of the worthy young opponent felled by a legend. Come on, guys—it’s your time! An American man hasn’t won a Grand Slam since Andy Roddick claimed the US Open in 2003.

So, a new tennis horizon is taking shape and we’re here for it. Outstanding play, emerging rivalries, first-time champions, fledgling winning streaks, all-time greats defying time—everything is up for grabs. There will always be ‘the next big tennis star,’ but when, and just how ‘big?’ Stay tuned!