Serena Williams won the 2010s, who will dominate the next WTA decade?

Naomi Osaka

Age during the next decade: 22-32
WTA ranking now: 3
Career titles: 5

Naomi Osaka is already the closest WTA challenger to Serena Williams in terms of her profile off the court and she has made a pretty stunning start with her career achievements on it as well.

Currently number 3 in the world, having already enjoyed two spells at 1, the Japanese player is a two-time major winner.

Her 2018 US Open triumph came in controversial circumstances against Serena Williams, but she followed that up with an Australian Open win in 2019 that made her Asia’s first star (male or female) to reach the top of the rankings.

She was the first player since Serena Williams in 2015 to win back-to-back Slams and Jennifer Capriati (2001) was the last to have won her first two majors in consecutive events.

Those historic early career accomplishments were followed up with an up-and-down remainder of the year, but Osaka comes into the new season as one of the front-runners for success once more.

Osaka will be seeking consistency, further Slams and the year-end number one spot in 2020 and is undoubtedly among the favorites to win the top events, starting with the defence of her title in Melbourne.

Regardless of how she fares there, she has the talent and major pedigree to play a big part in the next decade on the WTA Tour.

The notorious final against Serena Williams may well prove to be the beginning of a changing of the guard in women’s tennis.