The 2011 season has just started and we’re already thinking about the year-end rankings. 🙂 Our friend John Bolan used a number of indicators to calculate how the Top 10 will look at the end of 2011. Isn’t this a perfect time to get playful and test our projection abilities?
My friends and I play a game each year before the new tennis season begins: “Name the Top 10 players in order at the end of the year”. We all have favorites, but I try to use a little logic in the picks.
First, see where the players finished this year. Then think about which good players have been injured for long periods during 2010. Finally, consider how many points players have to lose. Players with many points now must play better than players with fewer points to retain their ranking. Of course we all have personal favorites and think that different players will either rise or sink in the rankings.
My pick for number 1, Victoria Azarenka, has a combination of all the above factors – she has been injured, has fewer points to lose than anyone else in the Top 10, and is definitely a rising young star. Number 2, Justine Henin, and number 3, Maria Sharapova, also fit in the same mold.
One can’t forget to rank the Top 3 players from 2010. Kim Clijsters, Caroline Wozniacki and Vera Zvonareva are my next 3 picks. Although they have many points to subtract, they are the best 3 players in 2010.
1. Victoria Azarenka
2. Justine Henin
3. Maria Sharapova
4. Kim Clijsters
5. Caroline Wozniacki
6. Vera Zvonareva
7. Yanina Wickmayer
8. Dinara Safina
9. Ana Ivanovic
10. Jelena Jankovic
Number 7 is Yanina Wickmayer. She is young and very strong. 2011 will be her breakout year.
Dinara Safina has very few points to lose, has been injured all 2010 and has more to prove than any other player. She will be back in the Top 10. Dinara is also my pick for a comeback player of the year 2011.
Ana Ivanovic is determined. She is working very hard.
In the last spot is Jelena Jankovic who will be steadier in 2011 and hold onto her Top 10 ranking.
There is no expectation on my part that any of you will agree with me on these picks! That is why we play the game! So use the comments and make your picks!
It will be interesting to get back to these projections when the 2011 season finishes. The time will come before we know it! (photos: Karla St John, John Bolan)
Interesting picks, in my opinion! And sadly, I do disagree. A lot.
1. Kim Clijsters
2. Serena Williams
3. Justine Henin
4. Vera Zvonerava
5. Victoria Azarenka
6. Svetlana Kuznetsova
7. Caroline Wozniacki
8. Li Na
9. Jelena Jankovic
10. Agnieszka Radwanska
Ana kim and henin derinitely but not sure of azarenka sharapova and wickmayer
1 Wozniacki, Caroline
2 Clijsters, Kim
3 Henin, Justine
4 Azarenka, Victoria
5 Sharapova, Maria
6 Ivanovic, Ana
7 Jankovic, Jelena
8 Radwanska, Agnieszka
9 Rezai, Aravane
10 Pavlyuchenkova, Anastasia
I thought about Yanina for the breakout year but I think that it will be more Rezai.
Hmm..I can name the people that I expect to be in the top 10 easily enough…however ranking them is the difficulty.
But, here goes:
1. Kim Clijsters
2. Caroline Wozniacki
3. Justine Henin
4. Vera Zvonareva
5. Serena Williams
6. Victoria Azarenka
7. Venus Williams
8. Jelena Jankovic
9. Maria Sharapova
10. Ana Ivanovic
Tennisxlovex3-
I’m with you on most of your picks, but I’d put Serena above Wozniacki, since she is likely to win a slam and Caroline isn’t; that would give her mucho ranking points. I also don’t think Henin will make it to #3; more like top 5. I’d also put Stosur on the list and remove Ivanovic, who is my favorite player of all.
1. Kim Clijsters
2. Caroline Wozniacki
3. Justine Henin
4. Vera Zvonareva
5. Serena Williams
6. Sam Stosur
7. Venus Williams
8. Jelena Jankovic
9. Ana Ivanovic
10. Victoria Azarenka
Ok, here’s my tip:
1.Kim Clijsters
2.Justine Henin
3.Caroline Wozniacki
4.Vera Zvonareva
5.Ana Ivanovic
6.Victoria Azarenka
7.Aravane Rezai
8.Sam Stosur
9.Anastasia Pavluychenkova
10.Venus Williams
This is quite a fun game. My prediction will be:
1. Kim Clijsters.
2. Justine Henin.
3. Maria Sharapova.
4. Vera Zvonareva.
5. Serena Williams.
6. Caroline Wozniacki.
7. Jelena Jankovic.
8. Svetlana Kuznetsova.
9. Victoria Azarenka.
10. Anastasia Pavluchenkova.
We have to go back to this post by the end of this year to see who gets the most :).
1.Kim Clijsters
2.Serena Williams
3.Justine Henin
4.Caroline Wozniacki
5.Samantha Stosur
6.Jankovic Jelena
7.Azarenka Victoria
8.Schiavone Franceska
9.Kuznetsova Svetlana
10.Ivanovic Ana
Unfortunately, I just couldn’t put Maria Sharapova on the list.She lost easily in Auckland.I don’t see any change in her game coming soon.Too bad. I wish time will show I was wrong.
Vera has so many points to defend, I doubt she’ll make it.
i cant see how can one not include any of the Williams sisters in the top 10! they’re 2 of the best players ever, and i know they’ll be back in the spotlights the soonest.
so my opinion
1. Kim Clijsters
2. Serena Williams
3. Vera Zvonerava
4. Caroline Wozniacki
5. Justine Henin
6. Victoria Azarenka
7. Svetlana Kuznetsova
8. Venus Williams
9. Samantha Stosur
10. Schiavone Franceska
Any excuse to embarrass myself!!
1.Zvonareva
2.Clijsters
3.Wozniacki
4.Stosur
5.Serena
6.Pavlyuchenkova
7.Henin
8.Kuznetsova
9.Peer
10.Li
The two best female players are Serena and Kim. Henin is not there … yet? Maybe never? Caroline will hang tough but does not have the firepower to beat Serena nor Kim. If Sam and Vera continue like they did last year, and no reason why not,and Venus will come back and start winning. I like Azarenka too. So:
1. Clijsters (will win AO)
2. Wozniacki
3. Zvonareva
4. Stosur
5. Venus
6. Serena (depends when she returns)
7. Henin
8. Azarenka
9. Peer
10.Li
This is going to be an interesting year.
1. Wozniacki
2. Stosur
3. Clijisters
4. Radwanska
5. J.J.
6. Sharapova
7. Peer
8. Li
9. Henin
10.Azeranka
my picks, now other predictions
12. A. Bondarenko
14. Ivanovic
11. Kirilenko
Women’s tennis is sooo unpredictable these days.It’s hard to predict who might be in the top 10 after AO as it seems wide open to anyone.
But this is fun so i’ll have my picks too:
1.Clijsters
2.Henin
3.Azarenka
4.Wozniacki
5.Zvonareva
6.Serena
7.Kuznetsova
8.Venus
9.Ivanovic
10.Jankovic
I think this is the last chance for middle aged group of players to have some real success.
I feel, KIm z gonna do well in Majors n the premiur tournaments this time… Serena z gonna be back n shez gonna be in top 10
here z ma pick
1) Kim Clijsters( 1 or more grandslams)
2) Caroline Wozniaki( No grandslams this year too)
3) Kuznetsova ( chances for French open/Aus open)
4) Sam Stosur ( May be another major final)
5) Henin ( chances for French open)
6) Azarenka ( No majors nor finals)
7) Serena Williams( Wimbledon)
8) Venus Willaims ( Chances for Wimbledon)
9) Peer (Quaters of any Majors)
10) Vera Zvonareva ( May be in the last 4 of any Majors)
very nice game!!my pick will be:
1. kim clijsters
2. serena williams
3. justine henin
4. vera zvonareva
5. venus williams
6. samantha stosur
7. ana ivanovic
8. victoria azarenka
9. caroline wozniacki
10. li na
OHH BABY!!! ARE U DRUGG????
AZARENKA TOP SEED!!
DON’T MAKE ME LAUGHT AJJAJAJJJAJA
1. justine henin
2. maria sharapova
3. serena williams
4. ana ivanovic
5. venus williams
6. nadia petrova
7. kim clijsters
8. sam stosour
9. shahar peer
10. dominika cibulkova
1.Kim clijsters
2.Vera Zvonareva
3.Caroline Wozniacki
4.Maria Sharapova
5.Victoria Azarenka
6.Serena Williams
7.Ana Ivanovic
8.Agnieska Radwanska
9.Venus Willams
10.Dinara Safina
Here are my top ten picks for 2011
1. Clijsters, Kim
2. Zvonareva, Vera
3. Williams, Serena
4. Wozniacki, Caroline
5. Williams, Venus
6. Schiavone, Francesca
7. Henin, Justin
8. Stosur, Samantha
9. Li, Na
10. Bartoli, Marion
And the next 5 for the heck of it…
Azarenka, Victoria
Jankovic, Jelena
Kleybanova, Alisa
Rezai, Aravane
Petkovic, Andrea
Funny how anyone can exclude wozniacki from the ’11 top 10?
Azarenka’s game is good enough for the top spot. But as long as she doesnt improve mentally, she wont ever get there. The mental part is HUGE, a great example; Sorana Cirstea. I’ll say that wozniacki is about the same player as Clijsters was at her age. With time she might develop into what Clijsters is today.
My picks:
1. Wozniacki
2. Clijsters
3. Zvonareva
4. Radwanska
5. Serena (big injury question)
6. Li
7. Azarenka
8. Stosur
9. Sharapova
10. Petkovic