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Across the US Open this year, in the women’s draw, there has been the common storyline of youngsters and relatively lesser-known players stealing the show over the higher seeds. Of the top-10 seeds, there now only remain the top-seed, Serena Williams and 10th seed, Caroline Wozniacki.
This is a laudable feat when seen in sole context as it gives a glimpse of the rich talent pool that we have in our midst, as far as the younger generation is concerned. Beyond this positive however, it’s hard to reconcile that some of the names in the upsets’ list – including two majors’ winners of this season – were so inconsistently floundering.
These upsets thus, when looked from the perspective of the sport overall, raise a lot of questions about the direction that women’s tennis is taking and the invariable focus towards Serena Williams that they bring in the backwash.
The American top-seed has breezed through the initial four rounds, making it to the quarter-finals without dropping a set. This appearance also happens to be the sole grand slam tournament where Serena’s made it to the last eight this season.
These openings then may present a highly viable opportunity for the American – without discounting her own superb efforts so far – to try and win her 18th major, but alongside they also accentuate the pressure on her.