Serena Williams’ pregnancy absence leaves the women’s field gutted

With top players Victoria Azarenka and Petra Kvitova still out and now Serena Williams out on maternity leave, the WTA is a stripped field. 

First, let’s talk about the good news. Serena Williams’ announcement — which she subsequently deleted — told the world that she is 20 weeks along with the pregnancy of her first child, which has now been confirmed by her rep.

“I’m happy to confirm Serena is expecting a baby this fall,” said Kelly Bush Novak in an email to ESPN and other media Wednesday night. She also told Reuters that the 23-time grand slam winner will definitely sit out the rest of the year and won’t return to the sport until 2018.

The most amazing piece of news about the announcement? She was about eight weeks along when she played all those matches at the Australian Open on the way to earning her historic 23^rd title and setting the new record — above Stefi Graf — for most grand slams won in the Open Era. Fierce!

With a baby on the way the former No. 1 — and soon to take the top spot back over while sitting out the current tournaments — will be notably absent from the remaining grand slams, including the French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open.

You know who is probably jumping for joy over the news? A controversial lady who has been sitting on the sidelines for the past year-and-a-half and is itching to come back, Maria Sharapova. The Russian has lost to Williams the last 18 times they’ve met and not having to face her formidable foe during her great comeback will likely help boost Sharapova’s confidence all the more. And right now, with the negative feedback from her fellow WTA athletes, her PR battles with the ITF and rumors about plaguing injuries, the 30 year-old could use all the positive vibes she can get as she prepares for her first matches on the “orange dirt” in Europe. Serena’s announcement came on the heels of the Russian’s 30^th birthday, prompting this funny tweet:

https://twitter.com/MegaFunTweets/status/854723351562129408

Right now, with so many prominent absences of multiple grand slam players, Serena opting out of the season or possibly leaving it completely is not the kind of news women’s tennis needs right now. Victoria Azarenka was winning major tournaments before she announced her pregnancy leave and time off to care for her newborn, soon after she won the “Sunshine Double” Masters 1000 tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami last year. Her absence has been felt in the field as few stars have emerged in stature and star power since.

Angelique Kerber was starting to make a run for it, with major wins during Azarenka’s absence last year and overtaking the top ranking, but has fizzled under all the pressure this year. She took over the No. 1 spot from Williams again, but only based on the points she accumulated last year. It’s not saying much that Serena is able to take it right back this Monday having not played since the Australian Open. It’s more like the top spot will be lost by Kerber rather than won by Williams. Once Azarenka is back on the scene this summer, as she announced last week, her presence will be a welcome influence on the WTA tour.

However, Kerber is likely to regain the top spot again and has a winning record against most of the other players on tour. I believe Kerber will regain some of the luster she lost at the beginning of the year, under Serena’s shadow, and will get back to confidently winning again by the summer. Both Karolina Pliskova and Garbine Muguruza have defeated Serena before and are likely to continue their breakthrough momentum as leaders in the WTA.

Emerging star Johanna Konta has only played the 35-year-old mother-to-be once and lost to her in Australia this year, but she is just starting to show her strength and I predict she will have an even greater breakthrough this year. With Serena out for a while, it can only increase the Brit’s momentum.

Still no definitive date on Petra Kvitova’s return after her left hand sustained debilitating injuries during a knife attack in her Prague apartment. The Czech player issued a recent statement on her determination to return to the sport and her doctors have confirmed that she has made strides in her rehabilitation. Kvitova is one of the few players to have defeated the American icon, in her last two meetings, both on clay in Madrid (2015 and 2014).

All this will be a moot point, however, if Serena Williams decides to follow in Kim Clijsters’ footsteps and come back stronger than ever after the birth of her first child. The Belgian player went on to win two of her four grand slam titles after becoming a mother. Other notable superwomen who have racked up sports achievements after having a child include runners Paula Radcliffe and Catherine Ndereba, golfer Catriona Matthew, and Olympians Jessica Ennis-Hill and Jo Payey.

And when it comes to superwomen, we know that Serena Williams, at age 35, sets the bar. If anyone can do it, she can.