If Serena isn't at her best anymore and if Kerber can't maintain her 2016 level, it is wide open next year. Everybody above including Konta, Puig, Svitolina, even Bacsinszky or Bencic could suddenly click it together for a major and just like that you have two surprise finalists. I'd also like to see Osaka improve and fix her dtl bh and she could have a deep slam run.
Azarenka wouldn't be back until like 2018. If and when she is back, it will be all hers.
The women's 4 slam 2016 finals were better than the 4 mens finals. The women seem to be "getting" it. First Serena and now Kerber, they are playing more like ATP, more patient in rallies, maintaining medium energy balls for the majority of the time while working for chances to find an angle or dtl. Pliskova has grown a lot over the past couple of years, I wouldn't mind her in another big final.