Since they first hit the tour, Venus and Serena Williams have been the face of women’s tennis in the U.S. The following tables show the gap between the Williams sisters in age, ranking, and earnings.
Seventeen American women were entered in the first Grand Slam of the year, the 2016 Australian Open. The following table shows the age, earnings, and rank of the first-round women losers who represented the U.S. in Melbourne.
| Name | Age | Career Earnings | February 9 Ranking | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alison Riske | 26 | $1.7 million | 92nd | |
| Christina McHale | 24 | $2.2 million | 62nd | |
| Sloane Stephens | 22 | $3.7 million | 25th | |
| Anna Tatishvili | 26 | $1.4 million | 116th | |
| Coco Vandeweghe | 24 | $2.2 million | 46th | |
| Samantha Crawford | 20 | $277,000 | 110th | |
| Victoria Duval | 20 | $290,000 | 587th | |
| Venus Williams | 35 | $32.6 million | 12th | |
| Bethanie Mattek-Sands | 30 | $4.5 million | 77th |
The second and third round losers are listed in the table below.
| Name | Age | Career Earnings | February 9 Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irina Falconi | 25 | $1.2 million | 75th |
| Nicole Gibbs | 23 | $730 | 105th |
| Vania King | 27 | $3.6 million | 227th |
| Varvara Lepchenko | 29 | $3.3 million | 49th |
| Madison Brengle | 25 | $1.2 million | 57th |
| Lauren Davis | 22 | $1.4 million | 99th |
The following table lists the same information finalist Serena Williams and Madison Keys, who reached the round of 16.
| Name | Age | Career Earnings | February 9 Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison Keys | 21 | $3.1 million | 24th |
| Serena Williams | 34 | $75.4 million | 1st |
Despite being the oldest American players, the Williams sisters still continue to dominate in the rankings. It is unlikely the Americans who are 24 or older will make it into the top ten – they are able to compete internationally, but they are not elite players.
Given the track record of the USTA Player Development program, it is not a comforting thought to envision what American tennis will look like without the Williams sisters.