Serena Williams is a singular talent, defining and inspiring a generation of American tennis.

Yet her retirement is on the horizon. The 23-time Grand Slam champion plans to step away from the sport after the 2022 US Open, and the question of who will take up the torch as the next American superstar remains up in the air.

Sloane Stephens, Danielle Collins and Jessica Pegula, among others, have emerged amid Williams’ rise to superstardom, but none have taken the mantle.

As Williams prepares to depart, though, a crop of young, promising talent is on the rise in the United States. As they make names for themselves on the world stage, the next generation of American tennis is upon us.

Meet the next generation of American tennis

Coco Gauff

Coco Gauff’s rise resembles Williams’ in many ways, with the young Black star taking the tennis world by storm as a teenage prodigy.

“I grew up watching her,” Gauff said of Williams in August. “I mean that’s the reason why I play tennis. Tennis being a predominantly white sport it definitely helped a lot. Because I saw somebody who looked like me dominating the game. It made me believe that I could dominate, too.”

And dominate she has. In 2019, Gauff became the youngest player ever to break into Wimbledon’s main draw at 15 years and three months old.

Fast-forward three years and Gauff continues to dazzle. Now 18, she made an appearance in a Grand Slam final in June, falling to world No. 1 Iga Swiatek at the French Open.

Even at her young age, Gauff is known for her poise. She possesses a composed yet competitive demeanor on the court that sets her apart from her peers.

Known for her stellar movement and court awareness, Gauff possesses a tennis I.Q. well beyond her years. In the midst of her meteoric rise, Gauff has worked to improve her forehand, striving to match the pace and consistency of her lethal two-handed backhand.

Ranked No. 12 in the world, Gauff is the second highest ranked American player, four places below Pegula, who is 10 years her senior.

Gauff enters the US Open, set to kick off on Aug. 29, after suffering a minor ankle sprain at the Cincinnati Masters. The injury, though, is “really minor,” according to Gauff, who reassured fans that “the world is not ending” in a post on Instagram.

The Atlanta native will look to improve upon her third-round run at Flushing Meadows in 2019. If she does, she will establish herself as a force to be reckoned with at her home Grand Slam.

THIS is what the crowd came to see 🔥@CocoGauff | #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/95FLcGQpmo

— wta (@WTA) August 16, 2022

Madison Keys

At 27 years old, Madison Keys does not quite fit the label of an up-and-coming talent. The Illinois native already has enjoyed a successful career, including an appearance at the 2017 US Open final and semifinal appearances at the 2015 and 2022 Australian Open and the 2018 French Open.

Keys’ run on tour has had ups and downs. Still, she managed an important breakthrough in Cincinnati, defeating Swiatek in straight sets at the US Open warmup for her first-ever win over a reigning world No. 1. She followed up the landmark victory with a quarterfinal win over Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina.

Her impressive showing in Ohio could signal a mid-career renaissance for Keys. The world No. 20 will aim to make a similar run in Flushing Meadows for her maiden Grand Slam title.

Madison's MOMENT ⭐️

2019 champion 🇺🇸 @Madison_Keys records her first-ever victory over a World No.1, taking out Swiatek, 6-3, 6-4 on home soil!#CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/GjrBHcXJe5

— wta (@WTA) August 18, 2022

Amanda Anisimova

Amanda Anisimova exploded onto the international tennis scene with a semifinal appearance at the 2019 French Open, which helped catapult her to a career-high No. 21 ranking.

Three years later, the 20-year-old sits at No. 24, and she has two career titles to her name.

Aminsova deploys an aggressive game against her opponents, blasting flat, powerful groundstrokes from the baseline. Her two-handed backhand is her secret weapon, and she produces an impressive number of winners off her preferred stroke.

The Florida native’s season hit a snag when she was forced to withdraw from her round of 32 matchup in Cincinnati due to an ankle injury.

While the injury could spell trouble for her US Open chances, she undoubtedly is a shining star in the next wave of American players.

Missed this while you were 😴 ?

Amanda Anisimova pulled off a stunning straight-sets win againt Lepchenko at @CopaWTABogota ! pic.twitter.com/0tG1JBOvKP

— wta (@WTA) April 11, 2019

The US Open will start Aug. 29 in New York and run through Sept. 11.

The 2028 LA Olympics schedule dropped on Wednesday, featuring significant changes to the traditional Summer Games lineup — especially for women's sports.

The women's triathlon will hand out LA's first medals on July 15th, becoming the first-ever women's event to open the medal count at an edition of the Summer Games.

July 29th's "Super Saturday" is also a new addition, with the LA28 organizers creating a single day to showcase 26 high-stakes finals across 23 sports, including swimming, women's soccer, women's basketball, and the women's marathon.

The LA Games will be the first Summer Olympics to feature more women's sports competitors than men's, with all team sports featuring an equal or greater amount of women's squads and 50.5% of the total athlete quota allotted to women's events.

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In one of the biggest changes to the Olympics schedule, swimming and track and field will swap weeks in 2028, with all three rounds of the women's 100-meter dash set for opening day while swimming closes out the LA Games on July 30th.

"To be the preeminent event on the first night of competition in the historic LA Memorial Coliseum, I think when we presented it to the athletes that way, there was excitement," chief athlete officer Janet Evans said of the switch.

"With Olympic ticket registration opening in January of 2026, now is the time to start planning," LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover said in a press release. "Athletes and fans from around the world now have what they need to plan an unforgettable Olympic experience."

Reigning UEFA Women's Champions League winners Arsenal suffered a setback on Wednesday, falling 3-2 to German side Bayern Munich after a second-half collapse led to three unanswered goals.

The Gunners are now 1-2 in league phase play, landing them in 11th place with three opening-round matches remaining.

"It's not good enough. We don't want to concede three goals in one half in the Champions League," Arsenal manager Renée Slegers said postgame. "It's everything. It's keeping the ball, making better decisions on the ball in their half to keep the ball there for longer, because it was very transitional."

A bright spot for Arsenal came via an opening goal from USWNT defender Emily Fox — one of a few US-centric Champions League boosts this week.

USWNT forward Catarina Macario notched a brace in Chelsea FC's 6-0 drubbing of St. Pölten on Tuesday, a match that also handed USWNT defender Naomi Girma her 2025/26 Champions League debut with the Blues.

Tuesday's clash also saw Chelsea captain Sam Kerr find the back of the net twice, as the Australia standout made her first start in 692 days.

Now halfway through league-phase play, only Barcelona, OL Lyonnes, and Manchester United remain perfect with a trio of wins, with Champions League matches resuming on November 19th.

Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball is returning to TNT, with the broadcaster announcing an expanded second-season slate as the offseason league prepares to tip off its 2026 campaign.

The season opens with a pair of doubleheaders — one in the afternoon and one in the evening — on January 5th, putting all eight teams in action on opening day.

Unrivaled will also be adding a fourth night of competition each week throughout the 2026 season, giving the 3×3 upstart four consecutive nights of programming while also eliminating back-to-back games for individual teams.

The upcoming campaign will also see the return of Unrivaled's midseason 1v1 tournament, which will run from February 11th through the 14th.

Even more, the Miami-based league's first-ever tour stop will land in Philadelphia on January 30th, featuring clashes between the Breeze and Phantom as well as the Lunar Owls and Rose BC.

The 2026 regular season will conclude with its 56th game on February 27th, with the six-team playoffs starting February 28th before Unrivaled crowns its second champion on March 4th.

How to watch the 2026 season of Unrivaled

All 2026 Unrivaled games will air live across TNT, truTV, and HBO Max, and fans looking to watch from the sidelines can score general admission tickets when they go on sale next Monday, November 17th.

The NWSL dropped the details of the 2025 Skills Challenge on Wednesday, laying out this year's format, broadcast info, and roster as the third-annual competition draws near.

On deck to show off their skills this year are Angel City rookie forward Riley Tiernan, Orlando Pride left back Carson Pickett, Bay FC forward Racheal Kundananji, Chicago Stars forward Ally Schlegel, North Carolina Courage midfielder Brianna Pinto, San Diego Wave winger Delphine Cascarino, and Washington Spirit midfielder Croix Bethune.

Availability is subject to change depending on semifinal results, however, with championship-bound players omitted from the Skills Challenge — meaning Pickett and/or Bethune could drop out should their clubs advance from this weekend's semis.

Sports presenter Duda Pavão will serve as host of the two-team competition, with full rosters for each squad set to drop in the coming days.

Mirroring last year's Skills Challenge, two teams will battle across three events — the Gauntlet, Relay Rumble, and Crossbar — with $30,000 in prize money on the line.

How to attend and watch the 2025 NWSL Skills Challenge

Fans can purchase tickets online to the 2025 NWSL Skills Challenge, which will take over San Jose State University's Spartan Soccer Complex at 8 PM ET on Friday, November 21st.

The full competition will then air at 1:30 PM ET on Saturday, November 29th on CBS.