2019 - INDIAN WELLS - USA, CA March 12, 2019

In pictures: The Class of 1997's Tour takeover

"The '97 generation, it's so strong," marveled Belinda Bencic ahead of her Indian Wells fourth-round clash with Naomi Osaka. Look back at how Bencic, Osaka and fellow leading Class of 1997 lights Jelena Ostapenko, Daria Kasatkina and Ana Konjuh have taken the Tour by storm.

The 1997 generation were early prodigies - particularly Jelena Ostapenko, who won the Tennis Europe Junior Tour's biggest U14 and U16 titles, Les Petits As in Tarbes and Avvenire in Milan, in 2011 (Tennis Europe) — 01 /36

The 1997 generation were early prodigies - particularly Jelena Ostapenko, who won the Tennis Europe Junior Tour's biggest U14 and U16 titles, Les Petits As in Tarbes and Avvenire in Milan, in 2011 (Tennis Europe)

Ana Konjuh won the Australian Open girls' title at the age of 15, defeating Katerina Siniakova in the final (Getty) — 02 /36

Ana Konjuh won the Australian Open girls' title at the age of 15, defeating Katerina Siniakova in the final (Getty)

Belinda Bencic won her first junior Slam title at Roland Garros 2013, beating Antonia Lottner in the final (Getty) — 03 /36

Belinda Bencic won her first junior Slam title at Roland Garros 2013, beating Antonia Lottner in the final (Getty)

Bencic snapped a streak of 26 different girls' Slam champions at Wimbledon 2013 when she took her second consecutive junior major with victory over Taylor Townsend in the final (Getty) — 04 /36

Bencic snapped a streak of 26 different girls' Slam champions at Wimbledon 2013 when she took her second consecutive junior major with victory over Taylor Townsend in the final (Getty)

Not to be outdone, Konjuh seized her own second junior Slam at the 2013 US Open, beating Ostapenko in the first round and Tornado Alicia Black in the final (Getty) — 05 /36

Not to be outdone, Konjuh seized her own second junior Slam at the 2013 US Open, beating Ostapenko in the first round and Tornado Alicia Black in the final (Getty)

Bencic enjoyed a smooth transition to the pros, winning her first WTA main draw match over Daria Gavrilova at Tokyo 2013 (Getty) — 06 /36

Bencic enjoyed a smooth transition to the pros, winning her first WTA main draw match over Daria Gavrilova at Tokyo 2013 (Getty)

Konjuh made a splash at the start of 2014, capturing a Top 20 scalp in Roberta Vinci in her very first WTA main draw match in Auckland (Getty) — 07 /36

Konjuh made a splash at the start of 2014, capturing a Top 20 scalp in Roberta Vinci in her very first WTA main draw match in Auckland (Getty)

A semifinal run at Charleston 2014, including wins over Elina Svitolina and Sara Errani, saw Bencic break the Top 100 (Alice Keeney Photography) — 08 /36

A semifinal run at Charleston 2014, including wins over Elina Svitolina and Sara Errani, saw Bencic break the Top 100 (Alice Keeney Photography)

Daria Kasatkina took the 2014 Roland Garros girls' title, defeating Marketa Vondrousova and Ivana Jorovic in the last two rounds (Getty) — 09 /36

Daria Kasatkina took the 2014 Roland Garros girls' title, defeating Marketa Vondrousova and Ivana Jorovic in the last two rounds (Getty)

Jelena Ostapenko's junior major glory came at Wimbledon 2014 with victory over Kristina Schmiedlova in the final (Getty) — 10 /36

Jelena Ostapenko's junior major glory came at Wimbledon 2014 with victory over Kristina Schmiedlova in the final (Getty)

Meanwhile, in the senior event, Konjuh and Bencic both reached the third round of Wimbledon 2014, with the Croat breaking the Top 100 in October that year (Getty) — 11 /36

Meanwhile, in the senior event, Konjuh and Bencic both reached the third round of Wimbledon 2014, with the Croat breaking the Top 100 in October that year (Getty)

Naomi Osaka had eschewed junior competition completely - but, like Konjuh, scored a Top 20 win on her WTA main draw debut when she beat Samantha Stosur at Stanford 2014 (Getty) — 12 /36

Naomi Osaka had eschewed junior competition completely - but, like Konjuh, scored a Top 20 win on her WTA main draw debut when she beat Samantha Stosur at Stanford 2014 (Getty)

Bencic continued to rocket through the rankings, beating Angelique Kerber and Jelena Jankovic to make her maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal at the 2014 US Open and break the Top 50 in the process (Getty) — 13 /36

Bencic continued to rocket through the rankings, beating Angelique Kerber and Jelena Jankovic to make her maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal at the 2014 US Open and break the Top 50 in the process (Getty)

Konjuh became the first 1997-born player to win a title at Nottingham 2015, where she beat Monica Niculescu in the final (Getty) — 14 /36

Konjuh became the first 1997-born player to win a title at Nottingham 2015, where she beat Monica Niculescu in the final (Getty)

Two weeks later, Bencic would seize her own maiden title in Eastbourne, with wins over Madison Keys, Caroline Wozniacki and Agnieszka Radwanska in the final (Getty) — 15 /36

Two weeks later, Bencic would seize her own maiden title in Eastbourne, with wins over Madison Keys, Caroline Wozniacki and Agnieszka Radwanska in the final (Getty)

One year after taking the junior title, Ostapenko scored a Top 10 win in her second ever WTA main draw at Wimbledon 2015 when she upset Carla Suárez Navarro in the first round (Getty) — 16 /36

One year after taking the junior title, Ostapenko scored a Top 10 win in her second ever WTA main draw at Wimbledon 2015 when she upset Carla Suárez Navarro in the first round (Getty)

Bencic defeated four current or former World No.1s, including Serena Williams in the semifinals and Simona Halep in the final, to win her second title at Toronto 2015; the Swiss would break the Top 10 the following February (Getty) — 17 /36

Bencic defeated four current or former World No.1s, including Serena Williams in the semifinals and Simona Halep in the final, to win her second title at Toronto 2015; the Swiss would break the Top 10 the following February (Getty)

Kasatkina announced herself in the summer of 2015, reaching her first WTA quarterfinal in Bad Gastein and beating Konjuh to reach the third round of the US Open on her major debut (Getty) — 18 /36

Kasatkina announced herself in the summer of 2015, reaching her first WTA quarterfinal in Bad Gastein and beating Konjuh to reach the third round of the US Open on her major debut (Getty)

Ostapenko made her maiden final at Québec City 2015, falling to Annika Beck but nonetheless cracking the Top 100 (Pascal Ratthé) — 19 /36

Ostapenko made her maiden final at Québec City 2015, falling to Annika Beck but nonetheless cracking the Top 100 (Pascal Ratthé)

A maiden Top 20 win over Carla Suárez Navarro saw Kasatkina make her first semifinal in Moscow 2015 - a result that saw the Russian debut in the Top 100 (Kremlin Cup) — 20 /36

A maiden Top 20 win over Carla Suárez Navarro saw Kasatkina make her first semifinal in Moscow 2015 - a result that saw the Russian debut in the Top 100 (Kremlin Cup)

Osaka made her Grand Slam debut at the 2016 Australian Open, where she beat Elina Svitolina to make the third round and pave the way to breaking the Top 100 in April that year (Getty) — 21 /36

Osaka made her Grand Slam debut at the 2016 Australian Open, where she beat Elina Svitolina to make the third round and pave the way to breaking the Top 100 in April that year (Getty)

A stunning run to the Doha final in 2016, including wins over Svetlana Kuznetsova and Petra Kvitova, raised Ostapenko into the Top 50 despite falling to Carla Suárez Navarro in the final (Getty) — 22 /36

A stunning run to the Doha final in 2016, including wins over Svetlana Kuznetsova and Petra Kvitova, raised Ostapenko into the Top 50 despite falling to Carla Suárez Navarro in the final (Getty)

Konjuh powered into her maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal at the 2016 US Open with a defeat of Agnieszka Radwanska; Konjuh remains the youngest player to have reached that stage of a major (Getty) — 23 /36

Konjuh powered into her maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal at the 2016 US Open with a defeat of Agnieszka Radwanska; Konjuh remains the youngest player to have reached that stage of a major (Getty)

Osaka made her first final at Tokyo 2016, beating Elina Svitolina and falling to Caroline Wozniacki - a run that saw the Japanese player break the Top 50 (Getty) — 24 /36

Osaka made her first final at Tokyo 2016, beating Elina Svitolina and falling to Caroline Wozniacki - a run that saw the Japanese player break the Top 50 (Getty)

Daria Kasatkina and Jelena Ostapenko played the first 'Class of 1997' final - and the first all-teenage WTA final in eight years - at Charleston 2017, with the Russian taking victory, 6-3, 6-1, for her first title (Volvo Car Open) — 25 /36

Daria Kasatkina and Jelena Ostapenko played the first 'Class of 1997' final - and the first all-teenage WTA final in eight years - at Charleston 2017, with the Russian taking victory, 6-3, 6-1, for her first title (Volvo Car Open)

Ostapenko became the first Class of 1997 Slam champion at Roland Garros 2017, when she shocked Simona Halep in the final to win her first title as the unseeded World No.47 (Getty) — 26 /36

Ostapenko became the first Class of 1997 Slam champion at Roland Garros 2017, when she shocked Simona Halep in the final to win her first title as the unseeded World No.47 (Getty)

Konjuh's run to the fourth round at Wimbledon 2017 paved the way for the Croat to break the Top 20 in the same month - but she has sadly been beset by injuries since and is currently on an indefinite hiatus following her fourth elbow surgery (Getty) — 27 /36

Konjuh's run to the fourth round at Wimbledon 2017 paved the way for the Croat to break the Top 20 in the same month - but she has sadly been beset by injuries since and is currently on an indefinite hiatus following her fourth elbow surgery (Getty)

Ostapenko went from strength to strength in 2017, taking her second title in Seoul and playing brilliantly during the Asian swing to make her WTA Finals debut that year (Getty) — 28 /36

Ostapenko went from strength to strength in 2017, taking her second title in Seoul and playing brilliantly during the Asian swing to make her WTA Finals debut that year (Getty)

The second Class of 1997 final saw Osaka take her first title with victory over Kasatkina at Indian Wells 2018; Kasatkina had broken the Top 20 the month previously and Osaka would join her in May (Getty) — 29 /36

The second Class of 1997 final saw Osaka take her first title with victory over Kasatkina at Indian Wells 2018; Kasatkina had broken the Top 20 the month previously and Osaka would join her in May (Getty)

A run to the Miami 2018 final saw Ostapenko consolidate her career-high ranking of World No.5 (Getty) — 30 /36

A run to the Miami 2018 final saw Ostapenko consolidate her career-high ranking of World No.5 (Getty)

Kasatkina broke through to the last eight of a major for the first time at Roland Garros 2018 - and then did it again immediately, scoring a second straight Grand Slam quarterfinal at Wimbledon 2018 (Getty) — 31 /36

Kasatkina broke through to the last eight of a major for the first time at Roland Garros 2018 - and then did it again immediately, scoring a second straight Grand Slam quarterfinal at Wimbledon 2018 (Getty)

Ostapenko crashed out in the first round when attempting to defend her Roland Garros crown, but bounced back to make the Wimbledon 2018 semifinals (Getty) — 32 /36

Ostapenko crashed out in the first round when attempting to defend her Roland Garros crown, but bounced back to make the Wimbledon 2018 semifinals (Getty)

Osaka was the last of the quintet to make a major quarterfinal - but once she did, powered immediately to her first Slam title at the US Open 2018, beating Serena Williams in the final and gatecrashing the Top 10 (Getty) — 33 /36

Osaka was the last of the quintet to make a major quarterfinal - but once she did, powered immediately to her first Slam title at the US Open 2018, beating Serena Williams in the final and gatecrashing the Top 10 (Getty)

A title run at Moscow 2018 for Kasatkina, where she beat Ons Jabeur in the final, saw the Russian break the Top 10 at the same tournament where she had cracked the Top 100 three years earlier (Kremlin Cup) — 34 /36

A title run at Moscow 2018 for Kasatkina, where she beat Ons Jabeur in the final, saw the Russian break the Top 10 at the same tournament where she had cracked the Top 100 three years earlier (Kremlin Cup)

Osaka became the first woman since Jennifer Capriati in 2001 to win her first two Slam titles consecutively at the 2019 Australian Open, beating Petra Kvitova in the final and ascending to World No.1 as a result (Getty) — 35 /36

Osaka became the first woman since Jennifer Capriati in 2001 to win her first two Slam titles consecutively at the 2019 Australian Open, beating Petra Kvitova in the final and ascending to World No.1 as a result (Getty)

A string of injuries had caused Bencic to fall behind her peers - but the first of her generation to break through reminded everyone that she should still be in the conversation with victory at Dubai 2019 (Getty) — 36 /36

A string of injuries had caused Bencic to fall behind her peers - but the first of her generation to break through reminded everyone that she should still be in the conversation with victory at Dubai 2019 (Getty)