Women's Tennis - Under-appreciated Still

There still exists a less than helpful section of the tennis world which appears to want to cling to the notion that the sport is essentially a male domain to which women only have associate entitlements.

Of course thanks to Billie Jean King and her warriors, we for over 40 years have had a professional women's tour that stands alone in the sport.
Irrespective of that, every year at every Grand Slam event the old argument about prize money is raised by those that believe playing best of five sets is deserving of greater reward than doing it in best of three, and that equal prize money for women is unfair.

And then there is the equally tiresome one about how the men hit the ball harder, they move faster, and so clearly the matches are more interesting to watch.

At the pointy end of proceedings that latter argument has some merit - currently if you were to choose to watch a final between the 2 best men - Rafa and Novak - or the 2 best women - Serena and Vika - no question the guys have it.  However there is a lot of boring men's tennis played on the way to the final few matches, and we often have to suffer through the tedium at Grand Slam level until someone has managed to win 3 sets of the stuff.

That's not what I'm going to talk about here though.  I've said enough about that and my opinion on prize money is unchanged.  It should be equal by gender.

Today it's about the depth of the respective tours and over the past few years there has been a progressive shift.  No longer can the boys claim to have the numbers here.  It used to be the boast that a man ranked in the top 50 or so was capable of winning against anyone else above them on a given day.

While that is still a true statement, the given day is now closer to once in a blue moon than a distinct possibility.  Especially so if it is the elite that are being tested.  For too long now men's tennis has been dominated by a very few - for a long time Federer and Nadal, before the emergence of Djokovic and now Murray has seen the club membership reach four.

Even with the slow slide of Federer, no one is seriously rating Ferrer as a Grand Slam title threat above the Fab Four.  Sure Del Potro, Berdych, Ferrer, Wawrinka are doing Ok, but none has taken the step into the world of the Grand Slam winning 4 apart from Del Potro's brief foray in 2009.

The interest now is with the unpredictability of results on the women's tour, leaving aside Serena because she is freakish and cannot be usefully included in statistical analysis such as this.

Apart from Serena, finalists in last year's Grand Slam events included Vika Azarenka, Li Na, Maria Sharapova, Marion Bartoli and Sabine Lisicki with Bartoli a debut winner.
For the men it was Nadal, Djokovic, Murray and Ferrer and no debut winner.

Just taking note of what has happened in Australia and elsewhere this summer we can see how insecure a top 10, even top 5 ranking can be.

The 8th ranked and 4th seed Jelena Jankovic took Azarenka to 3 sets in Brisbane in the semis yet was dumped in the first round in Sydney by unseeded Makarova.
5th ranked and top seed Agnieszka Radwanska was given her marching orders by capable and colourful American Bethanie Mattek-Sands first up, and Aga won the same event in 2013.
10th ranked and 6th seed Wozniacki lost out to Safarova in the second round.
9th ranked and 5th seed Kerber survived her first round match, but having to play highly credentialed but unseeded Cibulkova was never going to be a picnic.  Just shows how competitive the WTA has become and what the season promises to be.

Li Na, 2011 Roland Garros champ, and one of the established brigade, stormed her way to number three in the world on the back of a brilliant finish to 2013, and she has already won her first event of this year in China.
Ana Ivanovic, another previous winner at Roland Garros, just won in Auckland - her first tournament win in over two years.  I've predicted her moving back to top ten for each of the past two years - so third time lucky Ana will join her Serbian compatriot Jankovic in the top ten by 2014 end.

We have seen the emergence of Simona Halep, Sloane Stephens signalling maybe another generation of US power together with Madison Keys, the rise of Roberta Vinci from a wonderful doubles player into one of the best by herself, Kirsten Flipkens looking to restart the Belgian train, and Genie Bouchard putting Canada back on the map.  So the WTA is offering plenty, not just from the top few, but from a large group, many of whom have claims on a top ten position by year's end.

Serena may be far and away the best but there is a scramble for the next several spots and that's one good reason why women's tennis should be regarded more seriously by those embedded in old age chauvinistic views of the world, unwilling to appreciate the value offered by women playing this sport at such a level of excellence.

Aus Open - the Draw draws near

So another season is upon us and already we have a number of interesting results to ponder as the start of the Australian Open draws to within less than a week.

Increasingly it seems the draw - out on Friday - is as anxiously awaited as the first ball struck in anger, frustration, exasperation or occasionally joy.  This year for Australians it mainly centres on Lleyton Hewitt, principally due to his astonishing start to the summer, not the type of summer experienced by him for the first time, but unexpected given his position in the life cycle of a tennis player.  Even more remarkable the feat of winning the Brisbane International was that it came using the same  injury riddled body he continues to push to the absolute limits in his preparation, a preparation still unequalled on tour.

The fact that Hewitt was able to conquer his long time nemesis Roger Federer for the second time in their last three meetings, both in ATP finals, is reason for joy for the Australian, now ranked 43 in the world, but still leaves him unseeded for Melbourne Park and just as open to the horrors that the draw can throw up for qualifiers, lucky losers and wild cards.

Yes, Lleyton may play someone well down the rankings in round one and begin as favourite, but he is also not immune from the likes of the reigning and 4 time champ Djokovic, or the current world number one, Nadal turning up on the other side of the net for the first encounter of the first Grand Slam event of 2014.

Hopefully, for many reasons, including adding interest to the men's event at the Aus Open, which to be blunt over the past few years has been a matter of "let's hit a few tennis balls for a couple of weeks but we only need you 4 or 5 guys back here for the semis", Hewitt can be given the best chance to play himself into the tournament in the first couple of rounds.  Then as the most likely unseeded player to cause havoc amongst the seeds, he might actually proceed with that havoc making.

The 2 Best Served Out the Year

Whatever 2013 may have offered us in the way of tennis delights, no one dare deny with a straight face that 3 players stood on a tennis court far beyond the reach of the rest of those wielding racquets in various fashion.  Things will continue to be said and written concerning the place in the game that belongs to Serena Williams, and I am fortunate enough to be among those battling to find the words to adequately describe her eminence.

Today though I pay overdue recognition to the year's dominant 2 male exponents of the wonderful art of tennis ball persuasion.  Although he finished 2013 ranked number 2, Novak Djokovic displayed truck loads of stoicism and wizardry, not losing a single match following the shattering Flushing Meadows result.  For anyone else second prize in New York would be a joy, but of course Nole knows that on hard courts he is best placed to win against Nadal.  Given that he came to the absolute brink of knocking off Rafa in Paris on the surface in which the Spaniard eats and sleeps, another loss in Grand Slam tournament play was doubly agonising.

Rafa, for his part, entered the 2013 fray having missed the Australian Open and doubts still lingered over his ability to withstand a full season with the troublesome knee.  However the only thing troublesome was Rafa himself if you as a player happened to run into him in a tournament draw.  The guy won practically everything - Wimbledon was a blip in proceedings - including 2 of the year's GS titles, making him the best, and Novak was the first to hand him that accolade after the US Open.

The 2 arrived in London for the ATP Tour finale, as the top 2 seeds, and proceeded to demonstrate that to be a true measure of where they sit in Men's tennis.  Cruising through to the semis undefeated in their groups, they had Swiss opponents with which to contend next.  Neither had difficulty - Rafa dispatched Federer as he does most times, and Stan Wawrinka could not contain the excellence and consistency of Djokovic to the same degree he had shown in 2 classic encounters earlier in the year. 

The final was as it should have been in terms of the participants, if not in competitiveness (Djokovic too strong indoors) - both had extraordinary years and one can only hope that the 2012 Australian Open final can be relived in 2014, because these 2 are at the peak of their powers and managing their duties to serve and ancillary obligations so much better than the next tier of players.

2013 belonged to 3 players and Rafa and Nole join Serena to take the chocolates. 

WTA Championships or Serena Benefit ?

The 2013 season finishes for the top women players with the TEB BNP Paribas WTA Championships beginning on 22 October.  The field is missing Maria Sharapova through injury, allowing 9th ranked Angelique Kerber to take her place in the field of 8 for the second successive year.

In fact the only new face from the 2012 draw is the "comeback kid", Serbia's Jelena Jankovic, who has qualified 7th (8th had Sharapova competed).
Serena Williams qualified third for the event last year and cleaned up the field in no uncertain manner.  This year she has dominated, and will enter as the top qualifier by a street, safe in the knowledge that she will hold the number one ranking irrespective of results in Istanbul.

How the two groups are shaped will determine to a large extent predictions for who might be the second finalist because only someone who has just entered this cosmos would not select Serena Williams to appear in the final and in the same breath claim an ounce of sanity.

Let's consider the cold facts.  Only one player in the Istanbul field has beaten Serena in 2013 and Vika Azarenka has done the job twice.  The first time was the Doha final coming on the back of Azarenka's second Aus Open triumph.  The second meeting between the pair this year - the Rome final - (all their clashes in 2013 have been for titles) saw Serena win in straight as she dominated the clay season en route to her second Roland Garros crown.
Vika impressed on hard courts approaching the US Open winning another three set thriller in Cincinnati.  However it was to be Serena levelling the ledger for 2013 by taking out the US Open appropriately in three sets over the only woman on the planet to regularly trouble her on a tennis court.  It has taken about a dozen matches of constant pain of failure against Williams to reach this level of competitiveness, so props to the screamer from Belarus.

Since the US Open Vika has found it difficult, losing her only two matches, whereas Serena has won yet another title in her only outing.  Momentum is going to have to shift next week in order for Azarenka to win overall, but it would be foolish to think that anyone else has a better chance of challenging Serena.

Against Aga Radwanska Serena has won all 7 times including the three semi finals this year, most recently in Beijing.

Li Na beat Serena in 2008 but failed in her other 9 attempts, three of those this year including a semi final thrashing at Flushing Meadows.

Petra Kvitova has lost all her four matches to Serena, although their 2013 contest in Doha was a tight 3 setter.

All six encounters with Sara Errani have seen Serena successful, among those 2013 clay court semi wins in Madrid and significantly Roland Garros.

Bucking the trend somewhat Jelena Jankovic was 4-4 in career meetings with Serena after defeating her in Rome 2010.  However Serena has won the past three, including 2 finals in 2013, the latter being the Beijing title.

Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber have only played three times, the first way back in 2007.  Kerber lost that but won the next one which was Cincinnati last year.  Serena balanced the books by winning a round robin match at the year end championships, but there is no 2013 head to head form line here.

Based on what we have seen, and not knowing how the two groups will fall, I rate Azarenka as the prime threat to Serena at the WTA Championships, but more realistically the favourite to take the second finalist position.  I think that Jankovic and possibly Radwanska are playing well enough to push through to the semis of the event.

Wimbledon success a curse ?

Success at Wimbledon this year has not necessarily been a springboard for immediate further glory for those women that reached the semi finals and beyond on the hallowed grass.
 
Women's Champion Marion Bartoli defeated a qualifier in Toronto before bowing out in the round of 16, and then lost her only match in Cincinnati before announcing her retirement.

Runner up to Bartoli at Wimbledon was Sabine Lisicki and the German star's only entry in the records since was a first round exit, also in Cincinnati.

Agnieszka Radwanska, beaten semi finalist at Wimbledon, has come closest to victory after that performance with her finals loss at Stanford to Cibulkova, and she has made two quarters and a semi as well, but considering her seeding at the tournaments  that is probably under achieving.

The other losing Wimbledon semi finalist was Kirsten Flipkens, and her progress has seen a round of 16 exit in Toronto and a first round farewell from Cincinnati.  

Of the 4 male semi finalists at Wimbledon, only Del Potro has won a tournament since, with the others struggling to recapture the London form.

Greatest of our Generation

Greatest player of all time is too subjective but the best of their generation is something more palatable to discuss.
Since we began the new millennium there have been two stand out players, one who has almost all of the attention when handing out "greatest" accolades.  For me, Roger Federer for now remains the best male player of his time, although the longer he pursues his career, the likelihood increases that Rafa Nadal may prosecute just as compelling case.  I still believe Roger will edge the clay court king based simply on the percentage of GS titles won at Roland Garros by the Spaniard.  Federer's are a more even spread.

Until a few years ago Federer may even have been the best player, irrespective of gender of the past 20 years.  However, Serena Williams decided to give tennis another shot after a shocking injury run and a life threatening health scare.  I was fortunate enough to be at Eastbourne in 2011 to see the champion play her first tournament upon returning, and then again courtside at Wimbledon as she made it through to the fourth round.

Serena was back fit and enjoying her tennis but could she again reach those scary heights where the 13 time GS winner would intimidate all her opponents with the power and athleticism unmatched in the women's game?

A final at the US Open and 3 GS titles out of the last 4 contested, including her second at Roland Garros on Saturday night has answered that emphatically and given me just cause to argue strongly for Roger's mantle to be handed to Serena.  She is indeed the greatest player I have seen of her generation.  Given her interruptions through injury and fitness concerns, her record could even have been more imposing and that is just frightening.

16 Grand Slam singles victories from 51 attempts gives Serena a 31.37% success rate, compared with Roger Federer 17 from 56 at 30.35%.  Rafa Nadal is ahead of them both on percentages but having only played 34 GS tournaments we need to be guarded on that.

Serena Williams is achieving wonderful things as her career is approaching its end but how long that approach will actually be is anyone's guess.

I only hope that she continues to enjoy what she is doing on the court because as long as she does she will give us even more joy with her outstanding tennis prowess.

     

Week One down - Favourites cruising

Paris has been rather wet but not enough to dampen the hopes of the top players after the first week of clay court Grand Slam action.

Rafa Nadal, despite losing the first set he contested at this year's French Open, has done everything to suggest that an eighth title is only a Serbian away from fruition.  A quarter final against either Wawrinka or local favourite Gasquet will provide exactly the quality match practise required to be ready for the Djokovic assault on Friday.

Roger Federer is into another quarter final but that is nothing new - the five sets that he took to ease past Gilles Simon was more of a surprise.  Another French star Gael Monfils set the crowd alight with his first round win over highly fancied Tomas Berdych, but unfortunately the inconsistency remains and Tommy Robredo stopped the run in the third round.

We have two veteran Tommys flying their respective flags, Robredo through to the quarters, and Tommy Haas with a chance to join him there if successful over Youzhny in the fourth round.

Novak has saved his scariest form for this fortnight, dismissing dangerous first round opponent David Goffin in straight sets before dispensing uncaringly of the next two pretenders for the loss of just 11 games.  The third round victim was Grigor Dimitrov, who had the nerve to actually defeat the world number one in Madrid a few weeks back.  Now the Bulgarian will have to content himself watching his girlfriend defend her singles title.

Yes Maria Sharapova is looking good, and her tennis is rather appealing too, certainly at a level out of reach of her first 3 match ups.  Even Zheng Jie could not sustain a seemingly set winning position against the Russian, who seeded second has her sights on a second straight final.  Her toughest match could be a quarter final against a rejuvenated former number one Jelena Jankovic who is in terrific 2013 form, and is fresh off a tough three set win over previous finalist and last year's semi finalist Samantha Stosur.

Surprisingly we have lost 2011 winner Li Na, courtesy of a rampant Bethanie Mattek-Sands, the American's quarter final berth up for grabs with Maria Kirilenko.  Another pair of previous winners are due to play a quarter final, Svetlana Kuznetsova winding back the clock to her triumphant year of 2009, but in need no doubt of plenty of luck and all of her skill to push Serena Williams who is attempting to repeat her success of 2002.

Yet another past champion is alive into the second week - Francesca Schiavone, who has been desperately out of form for quite some time, is in a fourth round clash with Aus Open title holder Vika Azarenka.

Semi finalists predictions from me:

Mens Singles:

Djokovic/Nadal & Ferrer/Tsonga

Womens Singles:

Williams/Errani & Azarenka/Sharapova