There are a lot of things out there drawing a line of separation between a very good Tennis player and a brilliant performer. When it comes to the WTA Tour, you can pick dozens of players producing great tennis while playing but who are unable to reach their full potential or in some cases to maintain it throughout the regular season. And, for the past years, Serena Williams did a great job to keep her standards up high.
Her downfall in 2016 occurred in the same circumstances: she played well, but Angelique Kerber showed a higher dose of consistency.
Of course, it also was the burden of ranking points to defend from the previous season, but overall Kerber put in a stronger display of tennis.
Serena Williams' unlikely trajectory
Speaking of consistency, Serena Williams did the best in this field during the past two seasons. Her great pace is best reflected while analysing her Grand Slam results of 2015 and 2016. Two seasons completed means 8 Grand Slam singles events, and Serena reached at least semifinals of all. 2015 is by far the best season with 3 titles and a semifinal at the US Open. The recently ended season of 2016 followed almost the same path but Serena failed to harness her chances in the final at the Australian Open and Roland Garros.
Eventually, she won Wimbledon in a revenge match against Kerber but then she failed at the US Open in a similar way to that of 2015.
Having lost her WTA crown, Serena remains a unique appearance on the WTA Tour. Her unlikely trajectory is something almost impossible to fulfil for any player in the future. To have a peak of career between 33 and 35 years of age is a huge achievement.
2017 season is knocking at the door
Serena Williams missed the last part of the season due to an injury, but she is expected to return to the WTA Tour in Australia. Unlike other occasions, now, there are 2 or 3 players to bear the United States flag to the ultimate glory. Serena will be the leading violin of a group consisting of herself, her sister Venus and Madison Keys- the rising star of the American tennis who had a breakthrough in 2016 as she broke the top 10 barriers.
For Serena, the winner of 22 Grand Slam events in women's singles, the upcoming season might be the last one at the highest level as she is already 35-years-old and the women's tennis is preparing for a new era.
