‘Fans have it good’ – Laura Robson and Barbara Schett very excited for women’s tennis in 2023 after Australian Open

Eurosport experts Laura Robson and Barbara Schett have expressed their excitement at how women’s tennis is positioned looking ahead to the remainder of the 2023 season.

Reflecting after the Australian Open, the pair noted how open and intriguing the WTA Tour is with so many players in with a serious shout of winning a major and causing a serious breakthrough.

For Robson, the Australian Open only further demonstrated how fortunate fans are to have such a competitive outlook in women’s tennis with the top players having contrasting playing styles and levels of experience.

“I think the fans have it good on the women’s side,” Robson said after the conclusion of the Australian Open.

“When you look at the contrast and the play styles with Iga, Sabalenka, Jabeur… the list goes on.

“Even someone like Pegula, where I thought that this might be her chance. She is right up there as well with the top players, and I love that they’re all pushing each other along.

“Everyone thinks that they have a really good chance. It’s going to be a different challenge for Swiatek to defend all those points that she made in 2022. I’m looking forward to seeing how it pans out.”

Schett was very clear that women’s tennis is “all open” and hinted that the dominance fans saw from Swiatek in 2022 “might finish” with so many other players desperate to challenge.

“What can people expect from the women’s tour? It’s all open,” she told Eurosport.

“Remember, Swiatek dominated the whole WTA Tour, but this year, I think it’s going to look very different.

“Of course, Iga will be in the mix, but there will also be Sabalenka, Rybakina, Pegula… it’s going to be very exciting and we’re going to see lots of different Grand Slam finals. That sole domination of Swiatek might finish.”

Another Eurosport expert, John McEnroe, said he believes that Sabalenka’s triumph at Melbourne Park is a “great thing for women’s tennis” with all she has been through.

“I’m really happy for Sabalenka,” McEnroe said. “In her game, she had the yips on her serve. On the first point of the match, she double faults, and Rybakina played great and served huge.

“This is the great thing for women’s tennis, seeing that type of emotion and seeing the perseverance that she’s been able to work her way out of and keep going.

“She’s a major talent and has been through a rollercoaster, and it’s great that she’s been able to emotionally rebound. You hear about [Naomi] Osaka in the last couple of years, and now you hear about Swiatek struggling emotionally.

“It’s nice to see someone who’s had a lot of difficulties coming out the other end doing something as big as Sabalenka did.”

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