大满贯女单冠军各有归属 2024年WTA局势依旧“三足鼎立”

2024 US Open ended with a fierce battle at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center, crowning a "familiar stranger" as the new women's singles champion. It was Sabalenka, who reached the semi-finals of the US Open for four consecutive years. Unlike last year's final, where she vented her frustration in the locker room by smashing her racket, Sabalenka conquered the "new territory" with impeccable performance against the local favorite Pegula and won her third career Grand Slam title.

Now, the 2024 Grand Slam women's singles champions have been crowned, with Sabalenka winning the Australian Open and US Open, Svitolina winning her third French Open title, and Krejcikova clinching her first Wimbledon trophy. This is the first time in nearly ten years that there haven't been any new faces in the winners' circle, and women's tennis seems to have regained a sense of "orderliness."

Svitolina, Sabalenka, and Krajcikova, the "trio" of women's tennis, have won three Grand Slam titles together in the 2024 season. Their average age is less than 25, and they have entered the "golden age" of their careers. In terms of solid skills, Svitolina remains peerless on clay, with her powerful topspin and excellent footwork allowing her to dominate on the red dirt. Her 19-match winning streak on outdoor clay this season saw her crush opponents at the Roland Garros without any resistance. For the world number one, the biggest challenge now is the "overthinking" in her mind. If she can let go of the extra pressure of being world number one, her three consecutive French Open titles will just be the beginning of her replication of Nadal's red clay legend.

By overcoming the "heart demons" in key moments and improving her emotional control, Sabalenka has filled the gap of Svitolina's poor performance in hard court Grand Slams. She learned to turn pressure into her ally after numerous disappointments in the previous season's majors. She no longer makes unforced errors when facing break points, doesn't rush for victory after establishing a lead, and remains composed when opponents close in on the score. The 26-year-old Belarusian has become unstoppable on hard courts, winning two consecutive Grand Slam titles.

What makes Sabalenka even more intimidating to her opponents is her forehand and powerful serve, comparable to those of top male players. While her opponents hope for long rallies to secure victory, she has already established an absolute advantage in the first three shots.

With outstanding skills and an increasing ability to handle pressure, Sabalenka has become more and more versatile. However, whether she can continue her dominance in hard court Grand Slams remains to be tested by other opponents, such as Gauff, Krejcikova, or even Osaka. But for now, this list is not likely to be too long, and she remains the clear favorite for future hard court majors.

Krejcikova's unexpected resurgence at Wimbledon was a surprise to many. It had been three years since she won the French Open, and she gradually dropped out of the top tier of women's tennis. However, after returning from injury, she seized the opportunity and displayed her "soft over hard" style of play on grass, eventually winning the title where her mentor Navratilova had triumphed. Perhaps such unexpected brilliance will be difficult to replicate in the future, but her journey at the 2024 Wimbledon will be one of Krejcikova's most treasured memories. Her success also provides a niche for the survival of different playing styles in women's tennis.

Leaving aside injuries and team factors, Barty's absence from the winners' circle in the majors this season does not undermine her future prospects. From grass to hard court to clay, Barty's all-around game is among the best in women's tennis, and she can hold her own against strong opponents like Svitolina. Despite the ups and downs of this season, she still has the ability to win another Grand Slam title.

With her back-to-back appearances in Grand Slam finals, Boulter, despite her unremarkable physical attributes, has shown that even smaller players can make a mark in the majors with resolute attacks, clear tactics, and agile movements. However, in the next season, if she fails to break through in the hard draws and improve her record against top 10 players, the 2024 Wimbledon runner-up will likely be the peak of her career. Gauff's early exits at the Australian Open and French Open, with semi-final defeats to compatriot Navarro, were often due to crucial errors and an inconsistent forehand. Gauff may need to learn from many American legends if she wants to continue her progress.

The competition in women's tennis has become more clear in the 2024 season, with Svitolina, Sabalenka, and Barty "triumvirate" standing at the top. Whether it's solid skills, Grand Slam experience, or the ability to handle pressure, they are all outstanding and have no obvious weaknesses. As for second-tier players like Boulter, Pegula, Gauff, and Zheng Qinhui, in order to challenge the "trio," they still need to improve themselves, continue to enrich their scoring weapons, and elevate their solid skills to be competitive. When that happens, the battle for Grand Slam titles in women's tennis will become even more intense and exciting.