Most sports enthusiasts expected the Cubs to win the World Series before either Marion Bartoli (seeded 15th) or Sabine Lasicki (seeded 23rd) reached the finals of Wimbledon 2013. Based on their seeds they were projected to exit the tourney in the round of 16 and 32.
With due respect to both players, the consensus was that the Jamaicans would win the Olympic bobsledding gold medal before Bartoli would reach the finals at the All England Lawn Tennis Club in the same year as Lasicki. Their presence in the finals raises the question, “Were the upsets at Wimbledon 2013 an anomaly or were they a sign that a new era of women were joining the top ranks?”
While it is an accomplishment to be ranked in the top 10, only 5 of the top-ranked women (rankings prior to Wimbledon), have won Grand Slam women’s singles events. The players and their birth years are:
- Serena Williams 1981
- Victoria Azarenka 1989
- Maria Sharapova 1987
- Agnieszka Radwanska 1989
- Sara Errani 1987
- Na Li 1982
- Angelique Kerber 1988
- Petra Kvitova 1990
- Caroline Wozniacki 1990
- Maria Kirlenko 1987
On average the top 10 players are 26 years old. While this is young by most standards, some of the upsets at Wimbledon are an indication that about half of the top 10 are closer to the end of their careers than to their peak competitive years and their ability to win a Grand Slam singles title. Serena Williams and Na Li are both over the 30 while Kvitova and Wozniacki are the youngsters at 23.
The American women have a chance to make their presence felt as the changing of the guard continues to unfold over the next 18 months. The 14 American women Wimbledon entrants and their birth year follow:
- Serena Williams 1981
- Alison Riske 1990
- Mallory Burdette 1991
- Bethanie Mattek-Sands 1985
- Madison Keys 1995
- Varvara Lepchenko 1986
- Sloane Stephens 1993
- Jamie Hampton 1990
- Christina McHale 1992
- Alexa Glatch 1989
- Lauren Davis 1993
- Melanie Oudin 1991
- Coco Vandeweghe 1991
- Vania King 1989
Nine of the players lost in the first round:
- Burdette, Hampton, Davis, Oudin, and Vandeweghe are 23 years old or younger.
- Mattek-Sands, Lepchenko, Glatch, and King are at least 24 years old.
Most of the first round losers are young and have potential for success in future Grand Slams.
Overall the American women won 12 matches and lost 14. First round winners included Serena Williams, Alison Riske, Madison Keys, Sloane Stephens, and Christina McHale. With the exception of Williams the other four are 18 to 23 years old. McHale lost in the second round and Riske and Keys were third round losers. Williams was upset in the round of 16 and Sloane Stephens lost in the quarterfinals.
Stephens has demonstrated that she is a force to be reckoned with. Her losses in the 2013 Grand Slams follow:
- Australian Open – lost to Azarenka (winner) in the semifinals.
- French Open – lost to Sharapova (finalist) in the quarterfinals.
- Wimbledon – lost to Bartoli (winner) in the quarterfinals.
On August 26, the U.S. Open begins. At that time the next step in the evolution of women’s tennis will be showcased. It will be interesting to watch the role that the American women play in the changing of the guard.