10/02/10 05:31 GMT
  £30 Free Bet Bet Now Cheltenham Premier League Oddschecker Sky Games Competitions
 
 SPORTING LIFE FANZINE
Picture Venus - impressed in Doha.

LIFT-OFF FOR VENUS IN RANKING RACE?

By Andy Schooler

Click here for Andy Schooler's Net Talk column in full
Click here for more tennis news

"Next year the ranking system is going to be a little bit different and it might help quality over quantity."

The words of Venus Williams after she completed the WTA Tour's season with victory at the Sony Ericsson Championships on Sunday.

It's a good point and the change may help Williams who, on the evidence of the past week, has as good a chance as anyone of taking a firm grip on a world number one spot which has looked up for grabs for some time.

In an attempt to cut down injuries and burn-out to their star players, the WTA wants those at the top to play less in 2009 but also ensure they do turn at the top-level events.

Heavier fines and even suspensions have been threatened for those who don't fall in line when the Tour's 'Roadmap' plan comes into effect in January.

The fact that the top-10 players must now play four mandatory events (Indian Wells and Miami, plus new events in Madrid and Beijing), plus at least six more from the 'Premier' tier looks likely to increase Williams' chances of climbing the rankings. Overall, commitments are down from 13 tournaments to 10.

A maximum of 16 events can now count towards the ranking - a reduction of two - and that will hinder the likes of Jelena Jankovic who has played a hectic schedule over the past two seasons.

So looking ahead, who does look well primed to take control of the women's game in 2009?

This year's retirement of Justine Henin - the undisputed number one at the time of her shock announcement - has left a power vacuum at the top and since then Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic, Serena Williams and now Jankovic have all had brief spells at the summit.

Given her displays in Doha, Venus will fancy her chances.

Significantly it was a win achieved on a hardcourt - the most popular surface on the year-long tour - but one on which Williams has not performed at her best in recent years.

You have to go back to the 2001 US Open to find her last Grand Slam success on this surface, while it's now almost six years since she was last in a major final away from Wimbledon.

January's Australian Open will be big for Venus, the older of the sisters but the one who has suffered less with injuries.

A perceived lack of motivation has appeared to be her problem but if she is serious about her tennis, she has shown what she can achieve both in Doha and at Wimbledon over the past two summers.

For a player who has won seven Grand Slam titles, the fact that she's spent just 11 weeks of her career as world number one - the last of those in July 2002 - helps prove how little tennis she's actually played.

Her commitment will therefore be a key to her chances, whereas sister Serena's hopes of returning to the top will largely hinge on her body's ability to hold itself together.

Like her sibling, Serena has proved that when she's fully fit and in the zone, she's better than anyone. This year's US Open being a case in point.

With her powerful shot-making ability and dogged determination, she'd be the player I want fighting in my corner if my life depended on it, but that doesn't mean she'll be number one in 12 months' time.

Her New York win briefly took her to the top of the rankings but if she is to dominate the game as she did in 2002-03, then staying fit - something she was unable to do in Doha - is crucial.

The current incumbent, Jankovic, looks like a bit of a stop-gap.

She has a very solid, but not spectacular, game which has produced consistent results so crucial to the rankings.

However, with more emphasis now being placed on the biggest events, she could slip a little.

She's one of a rare breed who have hit top spot before winning a Grand Slam and history shows such players have rarely gone on to dominate. Kim Clijsters and Amelie Mauresmo would be two good but not great players who spring to mind.

Of the other contenders, Maria Sharapova is, like Serena, another who is beginning to look like she will constantly struggle to stay 100 per cent fit, while a longer list can be made of those for whom mental doubts appear the biggest hurdle.

Ivanovic seemed to make a big breakthrough when winning this year's French Open but ever since seems to have suffered a hangover - perhaps due to the fact that she is now the hunted rather than the hunter.

The experienced Elena Dementieva has improved her infamous serve this year but it's still a weakness, while Dinara Safina and Vera Zvonareva's volatility - the latter showing her's against Venus on Sunday - remains a serious problem for any athlete wanting to reign at the top of their sport.

With so many doubts, it just goes to show that the women's game really is wide open right now, so perhaps 2009 will be the year of a new brigade arriving on the scene.

It will be hard for anyone aside from those already mentioned to make the leap to the top in the next 12 months but those looking most likely to make a sustained challenge are teenagers Agnieszka Radwanska and Caroline Wozniacki.

Former Junior Wimbledon champions both, the pair won six titles between them in 2008 and will now look to make the move into the true elite.

Radwanska in particular looks to have an excellent game off the ground and if she can beef up her serve, she'll be a threat to those currently ranked above her.

However, she's one for the future.

In the meantime, I wouldn't be surprised to be sitting her next year with the Williams sisters still prominent and a true successor to Henin still absent.

Who do you think will be the star of 2009? And can anyone dominate the tour like Henin did last season? Send your feedback to: tennisfeedback@sportinglife.com and we'll publish some of your views.

E-mail this article E-mail Article Print this article Print-Friendly Subscribe to sportinglife RSS feed Subscribe to RSS Feed
Digg this story post this story to del.icio.us - social bookmarking site Post to del.icio.us Facebook

  Latest Headlines
 CITY WIN; LATE LEVELLER FOR POMPEY
 BAGGIES GO TOP AS NEWCASTLE LOSE
 GRANT LAMENTS REFEREE INFLUENCE
 MANCINI PRAISE FOR IMPRESSIVE JOHNSON
 REPORT: POMPEY SEEK ADJOURNMENT
 WENGER: GUNNERS CAN STILL WIN TITLE
 ZOLA HAMMERS WEST HAM OWNERS
 ANCELOTTI WILL ALLOW LEAVE FOR TERRY
 RIO FERDINAND WITHDRAWS APPEAL
 O'NEILL WARY OF ROONEY THREAT
 MOYES WAITS FOR FELLAINI NEWS
 BENITEZ FOCUSES ON FOOTBALL
 GERRARD TARGETING TOP-THREE FINISH
 DENMAN HEADS NINE FOR AON CHASE
 MASTER MINDED HEADS GAME DECS
 McCOY HOPING FOR BINOCULAR IMPROVEMENT
 CALDERON: RONALDO REJECTED BARCA
 PALACE ATTRACT 'ENCOURAGING' INTEREST
 WENGER DENIES CHAMAKH DEAL IS DONE
 GAZZA ARRESTED TWICE IN TWO DAYS
 ALUN-WYN JONES KEEPS HIS PLACE
 JONES: I FEARED FOR MY FUTURE
 GODMAN DROPPED, PATERSON REACHES 100
 ROBINSON WANTS SCOTLAND TO IMPROVE
 MOODY CALLS FOR DOGGED DISPLAY
 O'GARA KEEPS NUMBER 10 JERSEY
 McILROY RECEIVES FITNESS BOOST
 GARDNER OUT FOR SIX WEEKS
 PROTEAS WIN DESPITE TENDULKAR TON
 INDIA SHUFFLE PACK FOR SECOND TEST
 AUSSIES CRUSH WOEFUL WEST INDIES
 TRIPLE BLOW FOR LES BLEUS
 BETS OF THE DAY

----------------------------------------------------------------
Part of 365 Media Group

Sports News & Entertainment
Sporting Life | TEAMtalk | Sportal | Football365 | Cricket365
Golf365 | Fixtures365 | Extreme365 | Planet F1 | Planet Rugby | Sky Sports | Football365 ZA

Betting & Gaming
Betting Zone | WSOP |Sky Bet | Poker | Online Casino | Online Bingo | Oddschecker | Casino Checker | Poker Checker | Bingo Checker | Free Bets | World Cup Odds | Cheltenham Festival Betting

Mobile, Fun & Games
Free Online Games | 24-7 Football | Fantasy Football | Fantasy F1
----------------------------------------------------------------

© 2010 365 Media Group Ltd, All Rights Reserved.
Email Your Comments - Advertise With Us - About/Contact Us
Terms & Conditions - Privacy Notice - RSS


 2009-10 Fixtures
Football Latest!
Transfer Centre!
Football News Wire!
Follow Us On Twitter!
Cheltenham 2010!
The Latest News!
Entries And Form!
View From Ireland!
Today's Top Tips!
Wednesday Prem!
Tindall's Golf Tips!
Winter Olympics!
Market Moves Centre!
City 5/4 For CL Spot!
Tuesday Football
Scores And Scorers
Premier League Review
Championship Review
JPT Review
League One Review
League Two Review
Match Summaries
Full Match Reports
Post-Match Reaction
Updated League Tables
Tuesday Racing
Market Rasen Review
Results In Full!
Sky Bet Special!
£30 Free Bet!
Audio Updates!
Latest Bulletin!
Tuesday Cricket
Tendulkar Ton In Vain
Aussies Hammer Windies
Full Scorecards
Photo Galleries
Greyhounds Service
Full Desktop Coverage!
Our Online Betting Shop!
6 Nations 2010
News And Reports
Latest Standings
Full Photo Galleries
Super Bowl XLIV
Saints 31 Colts 17
Scoring Summary
Full Photo Gallery
Winter Olympics
Latest News & Previews
Schedule In Full
Daily Highlights
Team GB In Full
GB Ones To Watch
Global Names To Watch
Great British Moments
Other Memorable Moments
Exclusive Betting Tips
Premier League Clubs
Arsenal News
Aston Villa News
Birmingham News
Blackburn News
Bolton News
Burnley News
Chelsea News
Everton News
Fulham News
Hull News
Liverpool News
Manchester City News
Manchester United News
Portsmouth News
Stoke News
Sunderland News
Tottenham News
West Ham News
Wigan News
Wolves News
Free Betting Tips
Wednesday Racing Tips
Wednesday Placepot Analysis
Wednesday Premier League
Wednesday SPL
Pebble Beach Golf
Avantha Masters Golf
Champion Chase Ante-Post
Champion Hurdle Ante-Post Winter Olympics