Why this year’s US Open was so awesome

A new crop of ladies emerging

The women’s game has been dominated by Serena Williams for so long, but that’s no longer the case. Serena won her record 22 record grand slam at Wimbledon, equaling Steffi Graf’s amazing all-time tally. However, there are women rising up as the new guard, including the two ladies who made it to the final, Karolina Pliskova and eventual winner, (and Graf’s compatriot), Angelique Kerber. Pliskova, now ranked No. 6, beat both Williams sisters on the way to the final in addition to besting the US Open champion at the Western & Southern final just the month before in Cincinnati, OH.

However, Angelique Kerber’s US Open was her second grand slam win in the same year (the Australian Open was her first). Couple that with her elevation to new world No. 1 in women’s tennis, she’s confirmed her Aussie title at the beginning of the year was no fluke. Like Wawrinka, she may be a late bloomer, but she’s been well worth the wait.

There are three other ladies who have emerged in the last few years, who will be ones to watch in the coming year: Petra Kvitova who owns two Wimbledon titles, and the darling of the French Open, Garbine Muguruza, who beat Serena Williams to clinch the Roland Garros title. Perhaps the biggest wildcard among the new crop is Victoria Azarenka, out for the rest of the season with her pregnancy, but it will be interesting to see what kind of disruption she will provide in 2017. She holds two Australian Open titles herself.

“I like the way the younger generation, like Muguruza and Kerber, are starting to challenge her and are not as intimidated as they have been before,” said legendary tennis player and now commentator Chris Evert to The New Paper in July.