Could there be a new Big Three emerging in tennis?

After Serena Williams retired, questions loomed large: Who would fill the void left in women’s tennis? And would any player be able to achieve a similar level of dominance?

Now, a trio of players has emerged and proven ready to pick up the mantle.

Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina, the top three ranked players in the world, have combined to win the last five majors. And their collective success has created a legendary comparison from some of the sport’s most respected voices.

“There are three players now that could be the [Roger] Federer, [Rafael] Nadal and [Novak] Djokovic of women’s tennis, and we know who they are: Iga, Aryna and Elena,” Chris Evert, the 18-time major champion and ESPN analyst, said in March.

“I see a rivalry with those three that could be very interesting. We thought when Serena retired, ‘Oh, my gosh, women’s tennis is in trouble, and where’s the next champion going to come from?’ I think we’re looking at where the next champion is going to come from — if not three great champions.”

So, how did Swiatek, Sabalenka and Rybakina separate themselves from the pack? Is this “Big Three” mantra fair or premature? And what can we expect from them at Wimbledon when it gets underway on Monday?

The origin story

The confrontational nature of tennis lends itself to much-loved rivalries. It’s at the heart of the sport, dividing fans and nurturing a following. Women’s tennis has embraced them: Serena Williams-Venus Williams, Steffi Graf-Monica Seles, Graf-Navratilova and of course, Margaret Court-Billie Jean King, just to name a few.

As Serena Williams’ reign slowly ended over the past eight years or so, women’s singles titles have been spread out among a varied group of champions. Rivalries have ebbed away, as the sport became a scattered list of different winners. From Williams’ last Grand Slam title at the 2017 Australian Open until Swiatek’s win at the 2022 French Open, there were 13 different winners across the 19 Slams.

But since then, it’s become a familiar group taking the major titles, topping the rankings, and locking out their nearest rivals. Swiatek won the 2022 Roland Garros title by…