Best WTA Player in the post-Serena Era (2017-present)

[Entername]

Tennis since 2017 has taken very different paths on the men's and women's sides since 2017. On the ATP, the big 3 re-established their iron fist on the tour while the WTA has been a free for all with no truly dominant player. Some players have done more decently than others though from the '17 Australian Open onward.

Naomi Osaka - 4 majors, 2 Masters, 7 titles, 25 weeks at number one, and 68% win percentage

Ashleigh Barty - 3 majors, 3 Masters, 1 YEC, 15 titles, 3 YEN1, 121 weeks at number one, and 77% win percentage

Iga Swaitek - 2 majors, 5 Masters, 9 titles, 1 YEN1, 19 weeks at number one (and counting), longest win streak of 21st century, and 79% win percentage

Simona Halep - 2 majors (2 RUs), 3 Masters (6 RUs), 2 YEN1, 9 titles (10 RUs), 64 weeks at number one, and 76% win percentage

When it's all said and done it'll almost certainly be Iga but as of now, who has been the best women's player in the post-Serena world since 2017?

 

[ibbi]

At this point, I would say Barty. In a few years, I would hope that would no longer be the case. I might have gone with Halep until Barty won Australia. Osaka is the star, but I can't take her that seriously given she can only play tennis on hard courts.

 

[UnderratedSlam]

121 weeks no 1 for just 3 slams.

This is Hewitt level overachieving.

Seems to mostly happen to Aussies.

(Except Rafter, who got just 1 week.)

 

[Sudacafan]

Dozens of them. I wouldn’t know which to choose.

 

[Mr.Lob]

Each have had their streaks, and up and downs. So "best" is wrong choice of words. Barty the most accomplished

 

[puppybutts]

Swiatek is great, but her win streak was undoubtedly helped by a lull in the WTA, and I'm not convinced yet that she isn't mostly a clay season player. I'm also not sure how much stamina she has to keep going at the top. She doesn't strike me as a character who wants to drudge out several grueling years on tour into her 30s or even late 20s. It wouldn't surprise me if she followed in Barty's footsteps.

Halep...it's a little hard for me to consider her a post-Serena player, considering they played each other 12 times (2-10). But even then, she doesn't have much over Barty other than how long she was in the top 10.

Osaka...if she manages to continue her HC streak and win USO this year, I might have to put her above Barty. But right now, Barty's variety across surfaces, titles, and #1 weeks (even without the covid freeze) I'd value more than Osaka's one additional major.

 

[juanparty]

Iga Iga!!!!!

 

[coolcamden]

Smart
Humble
Unsolvable slice
Great serves
Problem solving on the fly
121 weeks at #1
Always want to get better each day
Do gooder
Write children books

ASH BARTY