The US Open, the last grand slam of the year, has already thrown up some unexpected results in the women’s game. Only one of the top five seeds, second seed Aryna Sabalenka, has survived till the quarters.

The biggest upset has been the ouster of top seed Iga Swiatek, who had come in as the favourite. But she found the going tough against 20th seed Jelena Ostapenko, a former French Open champion. Ostapenko put paid to Swiatek’s hopes of retaining her crown, defeating her 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 in the fourth round on Monday.

That also meant Swiatek would lose her No.1 position — having reigned at the top for 75 weeks — when the world rankings are updated after the US Open.

The Pole took over the top ranking in April 2022 after then No.1 Ashleigh Barty’s sudden retirement and became the first No.1 in tennis history from her country. And 2022 saw her win the French Open and the US Open. She also had a 37-match win streak that extended from Doha to Wimbledon.

But that dominance was in a way missing this year with only one grand slam victory, at Roland Garros. She did, however, stay on top of the rankings, showing that there was really no serious contender for the spot.

Take into account the grand slam winners of 2022 and 2023. Apart from Swiatek, no one has won more than one title. Barty, who won the 2022 Australian Open, is no longer in contention. Sabalenka (2023 Australian Open) and Marketa Vondrousova (2023 Wimbledon) may go on to win the US Open and add to their tally.

Elena Rybakina, who won Wimbledon in 2022, the fourth seed here, was shown the door in a huge upset by Romanian Sorana Cirstea, who is seeded 30. Third seed Jessica Pegula, who many thought would end the American drought for titles at their home grand slam, could also not go past the Round of 16, losing to compatriot, 17th seed Madison Keys.

Tunisia’s “Minister of Happiness” Ons Jabeur also failed to make the quarters, losing to Qinwen Zheng.

What has become evident over the past few years — especially since Serena Williams stopped becoming a regular to hold aloft a trophy — is that the women’s game lacks a dominant player or a rivalry. You really miss the magic of a Chris Evert-Martina Navratilova rivalry or the sheer brilliance of someone like Steffi Graf or Serena who almost had a monopoly over the major titles during their rather long reigns.

That makes it difficult to predict a champion. But that also leaves the field wide open and a bit more interesting.

Did anyone expect Vondrousova to win Wimbledon? Surely not. Did anyone expect to see Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, who is currently ranked No.186 in the world, almost fade away? Maybe not.

With this season almost coming to an end, women’s tennis yearns for a champion for the ages and not just a one-or-two-year-old phenomenon. Unpredictable, in one word, sums it all up.