Serena Williams nearly made history in 2015 by coming one major shy of a calendar-year Grand Slam, but 2016 holds less promise. It has begun with Williams pulling out of the Hopman Cup because of a lingering knee injury that fans are hoping won’t hinder her in the upcoming Australian Open.
Williams, 34, may be at the end of the line as tennis’ indomitable force. If injuries and age are about to take their toll, here are three stars to be on the lookout for to take her place.
Serena's Knee Injury Could Be Career-Threatening
Eugenie Bouchard
Bouchard, 21, has an incredibly bright future that many forgot about last year. Bouchard broke out in 2014 with back-to-back semifinals appearances in the Australian Open and French Open before making it to the Wimbledon final. Last year was a different story, as arm injuries and then a concussion completely derailed her.
The good news is that she’s plenty young enough to regain her form on the court, and she has star potential off of it. If Williams slips, don’t be shocked to see Bouchard fly up the rankings from her current spot barely inside the Top 50.
Serena Williams' Loss Wasn't 2015's Biggest Upset
Sloane Stephens
Stephens, 22, gets compared to Serena Williams because she’s a talented, African-American tennis player who experienced a lot of early success. Barely old enough to drink, Stephens has a semifinal appearance in the Aussie Open, and a quarterfinal berth in the U.S. Open under her belt.
Stephens cracked the Top 30 in 2015, and also earned her first WTA title. Do not be surprised if Stephens is taking over the game in the near future.
Caroline Wozniacki
The Danish star is not quite as young as Stephens or Bouchard, and because she’s been ubiquitous on the women’s scene, she’s not quite viewed in the upstart lens as the other two. But Wozniacki is a very talented player, and she’s only 25 years old, which is young even in tennis.
Wozniacki is more established than either Stephens or Bochard, notching three semifinal appearances and two quarterfinals berths in 10 years, as well as an appearance in the 2014 U.S. Open final. Wozniacki has movie star looks, and the talent to beat anyone on any given day, including Serena. She’s also fully focused on tennis with her ex-fiancee Rory McIlroy in the rearview mirror, engaged to a new woman.
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