Is there a Big 3 in women’s tennis now, comprised of Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina?
Having a dominating trio in tennis has become familiar due to the presence of Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Roger Federer, the ultimate Big 3 in men's tennis.
These three players have dominated the men's circuit for almost two decades. However, the same cannot be said for a strong trio on the women's tour. Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova, and Serena Williams were once regarded as the Big 3 in women's tennis. However, Victoria Azarenka came along and replaced the elder Williams sister.
The concept of a Big 3 has not been as consistent in the women's game as it has been in the men's.
With Sharapova and Williams both retired and Azarenka past her prime, the tennis world needed a trio to fill the void. That's when Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, and Elena Rybakina stepped in, or so some believe.
Iga Swiatek rose to fame after winning the 2020 French Open but kept a relatively low profile the following season. However, 2022 was definitely Swiatek's year as she added two more Major titles to her trophy cabinet.
She also topped the WTA rankings for the first time in April and amassed a 37-match winning streak on her way to eight titles last year. She was also named the WTA Player of the Year.
Many believe that former World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty's retirement from tennis cleared the way for the Pole to shine. However, it was soon realized that Swiatek was here to stay as she continued her good form in 2023, winning the Qatar Open in Doha.
She was also on her way to defending her Sunshine Double title, making her the first WTA player to do so, if not for a crucial rib injury.
Elena Rybakina, meanwhile, is a Kazakhstani tennis player with exceptional talent. While she has been on the circuit for a while, her breakthrough year was 2022 as well when she won the Wimbledon Championships.
Some argue that she only became famous because she is a Moscow native who won the trophy at a time when Wimbledon prohibited Russian and Belarusian players from competing.
However, there was no doubt that Rybakina, with her tennis skills, achieved what she deserved. She also made a place in everyone's hearts with her calm and composed nature.
Rybakina's form continued in 2023, when she came within a whisker of capturing her second Grand Slam title at the Australian Open. But she was beaten by Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka in the final.
The match was extremely engaging throughout as the tennis world saw two players other than Swiatek on the verge of potentially dominating the WTA tour. Well, they were perhaps right as Rybakina and Sabalenka again faced off in the Indian Wells finals and treated everyone with their exceptional skills.
They gave everyone the impression that there might be a potential rivalry that can match the level that Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic share.
Also, this time in Indian Wells, it was Rybakina who took her revenge successfully and took the trophy home. She was on her way to winning the Sunshine Double after reaching the Miami Open final, but her run was cut short by veteran Petra Kvitova.
Aryna Sabalenka, on the other hand, was already a well-known player. But it was at the 2023 Australian Open that fans discovered the powerful tennis she was capable of producing when she won the title. It was her first Grand Slam title. She became the first neutral athlete to win a Major as a result of Russian and Belarusian players competing under neutral flags.
Swiatek, Rybakina, and Sabalenka have breathed new life into what had become a stale phase of women's tennis, to be completely honest. Although everyone was proud of Swiatek's accomplishments and she took each trophy home one at a time, there was still a glaring gap in the competition. Rybakina and Sabalenka filled it, though, by challenging both the Pole and each other.
So, it was pretty obvious that the Big 3 concept would emerge sooner or later in women's tennis as well. The rivalry between the three new stars is clearly showing signs of the rivalry that Nadal, Federer, and Djokovic have shared for years, albeit at an early stage. Even legend Chris Evert believes it to be true.
"What I'm excited about as we get into talking about the women's game is that there are three players now that could be the Federer, Nadal and Djokovic of women's tennis, and we know who they are: Iga, Aryna and Elena," Evert said in an interview with Eurosport.
Considering everything, there is no doubt that these three ladies are at a very good stage in their careers. They still have many years ahead of them to accomplish a lot of things. Who knows, they might even provide us with a rivalry never seen before in the sport.
However, it is still too early to declare them the Big 3 in women's tennis as they have a lot of areas to improve and miles to go before they sleep.
What is the next tennis tournament for Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka?
Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina, and Aryna Sablenka are not competing in any tournaments right now. The Pole is recovering from a rib injury, while the Belarusian is also recovering from an injury and has recently withdrawn from the Charleston Open.
Meanwhile, Rybakina has not revealed where she will play next, but she has expressed a desire to prepare well for the upcoming clay-court swing. Considering everything, we can hope to see the trio back in action at the Stuttgart Open, but nothing has been confirmed as of yet. The tournament is set to begin on April 15.