Top 5 Womens’ Tennis Players to Watch in 2023
The year 2022 is coming to an end, and it is time to start talking about the tennis action for 2023. No doubt that 2022 produced some incredible action on the court, especially on the women’s side. Polish phenom Iga Swiatek has risen to the top of the women’s tennis world, winning eight singles titles while going 67-9 during the year.
She definitely looks like she will be tough to beat, but the question is whether Swiatek will be the top player when 2024 comes around.
Before We Close the Books
While no one is going to catch Swiatek for the top ranking, as she has more than double that of the person with the second-best point total (Ons Jabeur), it is still important to recognize that there are some who have an opportunity to improve their position.
There are two tournaments in France before the year concludes, and the ESB Classic in Australia gets underway just before the new year. While keeping an eye on these events, opt for tennis betting lines to better assess who will be a serious competitor when 2023 rolls around.
This should be an exciting conclusion to the year, setting the table for 2023. Here are likely to be the top players in women’s tennis at the conclusion of next year:
Iga Swiatek
Let’s be realistic. There is no reason to believe that Iga Swiatek will not be just as competitive in 2023, barring injury of course. At just 21 years old, she looks like she is just getting started, and has already won three Grand Slam events and 10 WTA titles in her brief professional career.
Swiatek put together a 37-match winning streak during the year, and she is absolutely brutal once she gets on a roll. The 21-year-old won nearly $9.9 million this year.
Ons Jabeur
If it is logical that if anyone is going to surpass the Polish star, it is the woman who was the runner-up in the rankings at the end of the year. Jabeur had an impressive year, winning two singles titles and earning just short of $5 million.
Her 47-17 mark was a slight improvement over the previous year, and she is likely in the prime of her career, reaching 28 years old in August. Jabeur reached the finals at both Wimbledon and the U.S. Open and looks like she is just a hair behind Swiatek at this point.
Jessica Pegula
American women’s tennis has been looking for a superstar to rise to the top of the women’s tennis world since the Williams’ sisters. Pegula could be that person but, at age 28, her years in the limelight may be nearing their end.
The American had her best singles record since 2018, going 42-21, and she earned one singles title. Plus, she only reached the quarterfinals in the Australian, French, and U.S. Opens, and did not get past the third round at Wimbledon. She is proving to be a better doubles player at this point in her career, and her ranking in the top 5 in women’s tennis may be a precarious one.
Coco Gauff
Coco Gauff may be the next heir apparent in women’s tennis. She will enter 2023 ranked No. 7 in the world, but is just 18 years old. She has already won two singles titles, earning one in 2019 and the other in 2021.
She went 38-23 this past year, but was just one match away from winning the French Open, falling to Swiatek. She also reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open, and it looks like she is ready to take her game to the next level, making herself one of the top two or three players in women’s tennis.
Elena Rybakina
Rybakina is poised to make the biggest leap in 2023. The Kazakhstani is just 23 years old, and has earned three singles titles in her four year playing career. She went 40-21, and has not played in as many matches as she did in her professional debut when she went 57-21 in 2019.
However, she won the 2022 Wimbledon championship, beating Jabeur, which may have served notice that she is ready to become the No. 1 tennis player in the world. Consistency is her main issue, and she is going to need to prove that she can get on a 20+ match winning streak if she is going to become women’s top player. She enters 2023 ranked No. 22 in the world, and it would not be surprising to see her in the top 5 when 2024 rolls around.
Get Ready for the Australian Open
It is hard to believe that the Australian open begins just nine days into 2024. Rafael Nadal is far behind some of the greats of this tournament in terms of all-time wins, but he will be returning to lead the men’s field. Ashleigh Barty looks to retain her title after the Brit grabbed the 2022 crown. With this impressive field, it will be hard for her to repeat.
Leave a Reply