The WTA tour has in the past been dominated by Serena Williams. The American was a regular fixture in the latter stages of the Grand Slams.
Serena Williams
Williams completed the “Serena Slam” twice. Holding all four titles at the same time, the first was in 2002/2003 and she repeated this in 2014/2015.
The American is arguably the greatest female tennis player of all time. Having taken time out to have her first child after winning the Australian Open in 2017 whilst pregnant, the American is working her way back up the rankings.
During her absence the titles have been shared around between different players. In 2018 each of the Slams will have been won by a different player. Caroline Wozniacki won her maiden slam title in Australia 2018 by defeating Simona Halep, bringing her long Slam title drought to an end.
The Dane was defeated in the second round of the US Open by Lesia Tsurenko. The Ukrainian took the match in straight sets and at the time of writing could make the quarter-finals.
French Open – Second maiden winner
On the clay in Paris at Roland Garros, Halep the defeated finalist in Australia, made her second Slam final of the year. The Romanian faced American Sloane Stephens.
Halep needed three sets but defeated the American and claimed her maiden slam. In the US Open Halep was the top seed, but was defeated in the first round. Estonian Kaia Kanepi lost only four games to knock out the French Open champion.
Kanepi will play Serena Williams later today for a place in the quarterfinal, which would equal her best performance in a grand slam.
Wimbledon
At The Championships Wimbledon on the grass, Angelique Kerber claimed her third Grand Slam title, but her first since 2016. The German defeated the returning Serena Williams in straight sets, reversing the result from 2016.
Kerber lost in the third round at the US Open to Dominika Cibulková. The Slovakian needed three sets to knock out Kerber and reach the fourth round. This is the furthest the Slovakian has been in the US Open.
Defending Champion Stephens is the highest remaining seed in the fourth round and faces Elise Mertens. The Belgian has already progressed further in New York than in her previous appearances, and will be looking to take out the defending champion.
Stephens will be looking to even up the head to head as the Belgian won their only previous meeting. In Cincinnati the Belgian took out the American in straight sets in the fourth round.
The US Open is heading for an interesting conclusion, and there could be another first-time Slam winner by the end of the event. However, Williams is still in the event and will be trying to claim her first Slam since becoming a mother.
