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Recent history suggests that making a mark for yourself as a teenager is becoming an increasingly difficult task in tennis. While there have been a few exceptions - most notably Jannik Sinner on the men's side and Iga Swiatek on the women's - a majority of the other talented players have struggled to make a breakthrough before getting close to their mid-20s.
But why is it getting tougher? The sport has become a lot more physical than it used to be, with fitness standards taking a quantum leap at the turn of the 21st century. The older players are now able to match or even outdo the youngsters in foot speed and stamina, and that, coupled with their big-match experience, makes it really difficult to beat them.
The task has become even more challenging in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. Funds in tennis have dried up, especially at the grassroots level, and several tournaments have been canceled.
The junior Slam events in particular have been greatly affected. The Australian Open boys' and girls' events were postponed indefinitely earlier this year, thus depriving many promising youngsters of the chance to shine on the big stage.
Women have arguably had it even tougher than their male counterparts, given that there are fewer tournaments available for them. Increased expenses, stringent quarantine rules and a reduction in prize money have made it very difficult for the lower-ranked and younger female players to find their footing on the tour.
To put it in simple words, in this day and age, it’s very difficult to sustain yourself as a teenager, let alone find success as one. Yes, there have been a few success stories in recent years, but for every Bianca Andreescu and Iga Swiatek, there are unfortunately hundreds of teenagers whose dreams have faded away into oblivion.
And that is precisely why Maria Camila Osorio Serrano's feats over the last couple of weeks stand out. The 19-year-old has rekindled the love for tennis in Colombia, with scores of youngsters already looking up to her as a future star.
Osorio Serrano won her maiden WTA title at the Copa Colsanitas earlier this month. And she followed that up with a spectacular run to the semis of the MUSC Health Women’s Open at Charleston.
But who is Maria Camila Osorio Serrano? A closer look at her game and early career success suggests that she is a player who is here to stay.
Maria Camila Osorio Serrano first announced herself at the US Open juniors in 2019
Maria Camila Osorio Serrano was all of 17 years old when she triumphed at the 2019 US Open in the girls' singles category. While her win did not immediately cast her into the spotlight, it did place her in an elite category of talented youngsters.
Clara Tauson and Leylah Fernandez had won the Australian Open and French Open girls' titles that same year. And Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek had triumphed the year before, at the French Open and Wimbledon respectively.
But what made Osorio Serrano stand out was that she was the first Colombian female to ever win a junior Grand Slam. The then 17-year-old was also the first South American in almost two decades to win a Major in that category, with the previous one being Argentina's Maria Emilia Salerni at the 2000 US Open.
Osorio Serrano, who was ranked No. 1249 at the end of 2016, suddenly found herself in the top 200 (186) after her 2019 exploits. But 2020 was a testing year for the Colombian, as she finished with a 12-12 win-loss record across all formats of the tour. That included one WTA main draw victory, which came against Julia Grabher at the Prague Open.
In fact, after that solitary win in the Czech city, Osoria Serrano didn't win another main draw match on the WTA tour until the Copa Colsanitas in 2021.
Maria Camila Osorio Serrano's dream runs at Bogota and Charleston
Even though the Copa Colsanitas in Bogota didn't have the strongest of fields, not many gave Osorio Serrano much of a chance to go all the way. But the teenager upset all the odds to claim the title, defeating the likes of Tereza Martincova, Stefanie Voegele and Tamara Zidansek along the way.
The Colombian didn't rest on her laurels after winning her home event. Osorio Serrano flew to the USA the day after the Bogota final, to play in the MUSC Health Women’s Open at Charleston.
There, the 19-year-old ousted second seed Magda Linette, who was ranked more than 100 spots above her. In the next round, Maria Camila Osorio Serrano displayed her never-say-die attitude against Christina McHale.
McHale led by a set and a break against the Colombian, and given the way she was striking the ball, the match seemed like a foregone conclusion. Osorio Serrano wasn’t serving particularly well, and was also playing with a heavily taped thigh.
But that is when the teenager’s mental strength came to the fore, helping her overcome the difficult period. McHale twice served for the match in the second set, but Osorio Serrano refused to yield, breaking the American on both occasions. Shen then romped home in the ensuing tiebreak, before claiming the decider in another breaker.
Osorio Serrano’s next match was against fellow teen phenom Clara Tauson - a match that promised to be a cracker. But fate had other ideas, as Tauson had to retire due to injury after Osorio Serrano took home the first set.
The Colombian then succumbed to Astra Sharma in the semifinals, but all things considered it was another terrific week for her.
What are Maria Camila Osorio Serrano's biggest strengths and weaknesses?
Maria Camila Osorio Serrano grew up playing on clay, making her game well-suited to slower conditions. The teenager likes using loopy groundstrokes to throw her opponent off balance, but she can also strike it hard and flat when presented with a short ball.
Osorio Serrano has a surprisingly sharp backhand slice, which she can direct with ease to virtually any corner of the court. That, along with her efficient footwork, gives Osorio Serrano a solid platform to become an all-court player.
But as you would expect from a teenager, Osorio Serrano’s game does have a few holes. For starters, the Colombian lacks the extra bit of power that someone like Bianca Andreescu has, so she struggles to finish points at times.
Osorio Serrano also tends to moonball a lot, which if taken on the rise by the opponent can leave her vulnerable to being pushed far behind the baseline. But most importantly, the teenager has a lot of work to do on her serve; right now, it is nothing more than a means to get the point started.
Osorio Serrano clearly has a long way to go, especially if she hopes to succeed on quicker courts. That said, she has a lot of time on her hands. The Colombian has already shown the tactical awareness and mental fortitude to outlast her opponents in big matches. And if she continues working on the technical aspects, she could soon become a force to reckon with at the Slams.
Given her style of play, Osorio Serrano could potentially do well at the French Open as well as the hardcourt Majors. And even though the teenager failed to win the title in Charleston, she has done enough to show the world that she has it in her to become a top player.
Osorio Serrano's tenacity and gumption are reminiscent of Bianca Andreescu's; she is a player you can never count out until the very last point. That, as most would agree, is often the feature that separates the Nadals, Federers, Djokovics and Williams's from the rest.
Shot-making form and timing tend to fluctuate throughout your career, but passion and resilience usually remain constant. Maria Camila Osorio Serrano has an abundance of the latter two qualities, so the rest of the field would do well to keep a watchful eye on her.
