Win Babolat Pure Drive tennis racquet, predict 2021 year-end WTA Top 10

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Show us your tennis prediction skills and win the Babolat Pure Drive 2021 tennis racquet! The Pure Drive model offers explosive power and is equally suited for both professionals and recreational players. It retails at the price of $229

How to enter and win the racquet?

In the comments below this article, write your Top 10 predictions for the 2021 year-end WTA rankings. Name who the Top 10 women’s players will be and in which order they will finish 2021. This time next year, we will evaluate all the predictions and award the best predictor.

The person that correctly predicts the largest number of Top 10 players will be the winner. If several people correctly predict let’s say 8 out of 10 players, then we will calculate the order, i.e. whose ranking predictions are the closest to the actual year-end rankings. If there is a tie, we will randomly select one winner (but ties rarely happen, if ever).

Please make your selections in the comment section of this article by January 4, 2021. Everyone can join, there are no country restrictions.

The history of this competition

For the eleventh year in a row, Women’s Tennis Blog’s friend John Bolan is making his year-end Top 10 ranking predictions and we’re inviting you to join us in the comments. Typically we were awarding WTA autographs, but now we decided to offer the latest Babolat racquet as a prize.

Will tennis get back to normal in 2021?

We all expect 2021 to be a better year than this one. The tennis tour and life will hopefully leave the coronavirus pandemic behind. The question is when will this happen? Would it be too soon for Indian Wells to benefit? We do not know, but by the time Roland Garros and Wimbledon arrive, tennis should be back to normal.

January 2021 schedule is still unclear and the Australian Open has been pushed back to February. We expect more changes to come. Another factor and variable will be the method the WTA uses to rank players. Will they return to the pre-2020 system, use their 2020 method, or come up with a new ranking solution?

World No.1 Ashleigh Barty will have been away from competition for 11 months when she returns to the tour at the 2021 Australian Open.

John’s Top 10 year-end ranking predictions for 2021

John Bolan, who started this competition more than a decade ago, will now give his Top 10 picks, which could help you make your choices. In 2020, John had 9 of 10 correct predictions.

1. Naomi Osaka
2. Sofia Kenin
3. Ashleigh Barty
4. Elina Svitolina
5. Simona Halep
6. Aryna Sabalenka
7. Karolina Pliskova
8. Petra Kvitova
9. Belinda Bencic
10. Iga Swiatek

John explains the reasoning behind his picks

Eight out of these ten players finished 2020 in the Top 10. In addition to these eight players, I have added Belinda Bencic and Iga Swiatek. Bencic is currently ranked number twelve and is anxious to get back into the Top 10. She is working very hard to become the best in the world. Swiatek is now the best young player and is number one in focus and determination. She will not be distracted from her goal of joining the Top 10. Swiatek is reminiscent of 17-year-old Maria Sharapova during the year she won Wimbledon.

John predicts Naomi Osaka to be No.1 when the 2021 season is over.

The battle for number one will be between Naomi Osaka, Sofia Kenin and Ashleigh Barty. I like all three, but Osaka is my pick because she found her voice and discovered what she stands for during 2020. She has been brave and fearless both on the court and in her pursuit of racial justice and equality. This personal growth affords her inner strength and glowing confidence.

Sofia Kenin was the best player and top-ranked American player during 2020. She is a very dangerous opponent, well-rounded with great hand-eye coordination.

Ashleigh Barty will have been away from competition for 11 months when she next plays in the 2021 Australian Open. How will all this time away from the courts affect her game? In her four tournaments in 2020 she lost to Sofia Kenin, Petra Kvitova and Jennifer Brady.

Aryna Sabalenka finished No.11 in both 2018 and 2019, now she’s finally in the Top 10.

Powerful Aryna Sabalenka finally muscled her way into the Top 10 in 2020, after finishing eleventh the previous two years. She is now situated to challenge the four older, solid Top 10 payers – Elina Svitolina, Simona Halep, Karolina Pliskova and Petra Kvitova. I have chosen her #6 in the middle of those seniors.

Bianca Andreescu and Serena Williams are not in my Top 10 picks because of their physical problems. If they were healthy, they could be contenders. Johanna Konta, Kiki Bertens, Garbine Muguruza and Victoria Azarenka all have a good chance to make the Top 10.

Now it’s your turn!

Choose your Top 10 players for 2021 and use the comment section to make your picks. You must enter before January 4, 2021. Good luck!

35 COMMENTS

  1. Thank you kindly, Marija.

    1 Sonya Kenin
    2 Simona Halep
    3 Ash Barry
    4 Naomi Osaka
    5 Aryna Sabalenka
    6 Elina Svitolina
    7 Garbine Muguruza
    8 Karolina Pliskova
    9 Belinda Bencic
    10 Iga Swiatek

  2. It’s interesting! Did anyone won the 2020 picks? I’m happy I won one edition of this year end rankings and almost won another one. I’m hoping for the best for my 2021 picks.

    Here’s my Top 10 for 2021:
    1. Sofia Kenin
    2. Naomi Osaka
    3. Karolina Pliskova
    4. Elina Svitolina
    5. Iga Swiatek
    6. Ashleigh Barty
    7. Victoria Azarenka
    8. Petra Kvitova
    9. Aryna Sabalenka
    10. Elise Mertens

  3. I am super excited to participate again and this year I am going for the Babolat Pure.

    My Top 10 for 2021:
    1. Simona Halep
    2. Naomi Osaka
    3. Sofia Kenin
    4. Ashley Barty
    5. Iga Swiatek
    6. Karolina Pliskova
    7. Aryna Sabalenka
    8. Petra Kvitova
    9. Bianca Andreescu
    10. Elena Rybakina

  4. 1. Naomi Osaka
    2. Sofia Kenin
    3. Ashleigh Barty
    4. Elina Svitolina
    5. Simona Halep
    6. Aryna Sabalenka
    7. Karolina Pliskova
    8. Petra Kvitova
    9. Belinda Bencic
    10. Iga Swiatek

  5. 1. Naomi Osaka
    2. Simona Halep
    3. Sofia Kenin
    4. Karolina Pliskova
    5. Serena Williams
    6. Elina Svitolina
    7. Petra Kvitova
    8. Victoria Azarenka
    9. Aryna Sabalenka
    10. Iga Swiatek

  6. 1-Naomi Osaka
    2-Sofia Kenin
    3-Ashleigh Barty
    4-Elina Svitolina
    5-Simona Halep
    6-Aryna Sabalenka
    7-Petra Kvitova
    8-Karolina Pliskova
    9-Victoria Azarenka
    10-Iga Swiatek

  7. 1. Simona Halep
    2. Sofia Kenin
    3. Naomi Osaka
    4. Iga Swiatek
    5. Ashleigh Barty
    6. Victoria Azarenka
    7. Karolina Pliskova
    8. Elina Svitolina
    9. Elise Mertens
    10. Serena Williams

  8. 1. Naomi Osaka
    2. Iga Swiatek
    3. Simona Halep
    4. Sofia Kenin
    5. Aryna Sabalenka
    6. Ashleigh Barty
    7. Dayana Yastremska
    8. Bianca Andreescu
    9. Jennifer Brady
    10. Karolina Pliskova

  9. 1. Simona Halep
    2. Naomi Osaka
    3. Sofia Kenin
    4. Iga Swiatek
    5. Petra Kvitova
    6. Ashleigh Barty
    7. Elise Mertens
    8. Aryna Sabalenka
    9. Victoria Azarenka
    10. Karolina Pliskova

  10. WTA picks 2021…may they get to play all the tournaments!

    1. Naomi Osaka
    2. Aryna Sabalenka
    3. Sofia Kenin
    4. Ashleigh Barty
    5. Iga Swiatek
    6. Simona Halep
    7. Karolina Pliskova
    8. Serena Williams
    9. Elise Mertens
    10. Jennifer Brady

    LPGA top 10 (Mike Whan is a the best commissioner in ALL sports!

    1. Sei Young Kim
    2. Jin Young Ko
    3. Nelly Korda
    4. Danielle Kang
    5. Inbee Park
    6. Lexi Thompson
    7. Minjee Lee
    8. Nasa Hataoka
    9. Brooke Henderson
    10. Jessica Korda

  11. 1. Naomi Osaka
    2. Ashleigh Barty
    3. Iga Swiatek
    4. Sofia Kenin
    5. Belinda Bencic
    6. Elina Svitolina
    7. Simona Halep
    8. Aryna Sabalenka
    9. Karolina Pliskova
    10. Petra Kvitova

  12. 1. Sofia Kenin
    2. Simona Halep
    3. Madison Keys
    4. Bianca Andreescu
    5. Iga Swaitek
    6. Petra Kvitova
    7. Ash Barty
    8. Naomi Osaka
    9. Belinda Bencic
    10. Aryna Sabalenka

  13. 1. Naomi Osaka
    2. Sofia Kenin
    3. Simona Halep
    4. Ashleigh Barty
    5. Aryna Sabalenka
    6. Petra Kvitova
    7. Karolina Pliskova
    8. Jelena Ostapenko
    9. Belinda Bencic
    10. Elena Rybakina

  14. These are my picks for year ending 2021, including some comments. Fortunately or not, after I decided on my picks, I noticed that they are the same women as John Bolan picked, but in a different order (and for different reasons).

    Let me start by saying that the most difficult thing for me was to not include Serena on my list. However, her “I’ll work myself into shape” philosophy hasn’t worked the past three years and I suspect it won’t work now either. I’ll have to give her a close 11th place.

    1. Osaka – Barty is listed as #1 even though she hasn’t played in 11 months. That rust will affect her, although she has some 3000 points more than anyone except Halep. Osaka, though, is a stronger player than either of them, and I hope that she’ll be first at the end of the year.
    2. Barty – even with several QFs and SF wins, she should still end up very close to the top.
    3. Svitolina
    4. Halep – I think a full season will be difficult for her to keep pace
    5. Sabalenka – tremendous power and resolve, I would have put her higher but she is currently in 10th place, 4000 points behind first.
    6. Kenin
    7. Pliskova – she’s been there, and for her, it seems that it’s hard to get up to that level to repeat
    8. Swiatek – if she plays like she did, she will be a force this year, and for many years to come
    9. Bencic – second best player to come from Switzerland, but needs to figure out how to put it all together
    10. Kvitova – she will try and try and try, and maybe call it quits at year’s end

    Stay safe all, and happy holidays!!

  15. 1. Sofia Kenin
    2. Naomi Osaka
    3. Simona Halep
    4. Ash Barty
    5. Victoria Azarenka
    6. Iga Swiatek
    7. Karolina Pliskova
    8. Petra Kvitova
    9. Elina Svitolina
    10. Jennifer Brady

  16. 1. Naomi Osaka
    2. Sofia Kenin
    3. Simona Halep
    3. Ashleigh Barty
    4. Elina Svitolina
    5. Serena Williams
    6. Aryna Sabalenka
    7. Karolina Pliskova
    8. Victoria Azarenka
    9. Petra Kvitova
    10. Iga Swiatek

  17. 1. Naomi Osaka
    2. Ashleigh Barty
    3. Bianca Andreescu
    4. Elina Svitolina
    5. Simona Halep
    6. Karolina Pliskova
    7. Kiki Bertens
    8. Aryna Sabalenka
    9. Victoria Azarenka
    10. Garbine Muguruza

  18. This is a bit of a wild guess, but I can’t resist the chance to win a prize 🙂 I don’t really think these players will be top 10… I just stuck a few players in there that I like and maybe miraculously they will do well next year.

    1. Naomi Osaka
    2. Simona Halep
    3. Sofia Kenin
    4. Ashleigh Barty
    5. Victoria Azarenka
    6. Serena Williams
    7. Iga Swiatek
    8. Aryna Sabalenka
    9. Belinda Bencic
    10. Maria Sakkari

  19. 1. Naomi Osaka
    2. Simona Halep
    3. Karolina Pliskova
    4. Ashleigh Barty
    5. Bianca Andreescu
    6. Elina Svitolina
    7. Iga Swiatek
    8. Aryna Sabalenka
    9. Victoria Azarenka
    10. Sofia Kenin

  20. 1. Sofia Kenin
    2. Simona Halep
    3. Madison Keys
    4. Bianca Andreescu
    5. Iga Swaitek
    6. Petra Kvitova
    7. Ash Barty
    8. Naomi Osaka
    9. Aryna Sabalenka
    10. Belinda Bencic

  21. Hello there, here is my YE21 Top Ten :

    1. Naomi Osaka
    2. Sofia Kenin
    3. Ashleih Barty
    4. Simona Halep
    5. Aryna Sabalenka
    6. Bianca Andreescu
    7. Karolina Pliskova
    8. Elina Svitolina
    9. Viktorija Azarenka
    10. Serena Williams

    I would like to say that my Ranking is based on the Covid Ranking Method. I could not find any news about the Ranking Method anywhere.

  22. Thanks for running again. Great prize this year! My top ten is as follows:

    1. Naomi Osaka
    2. Simona Halep
    3. Garbiñe Muguruza
    4. Ash Barty
    5. Sofia Kenin
    6. Iga Swiatek
    7. Petra Kvitova
    8. Jen Brady
    9. Elina Svitolina
    10. Karolina Pliskova

  23. My predictions:
    10. Garbine Muguruza
    9. Petra Kvitova
    8. Maria Sakkari
    7. Serena Williams
    6. Ashleigh Barty
    5. Sofia Kenin
    4. Victoria Azarenka
    3. Bianca Andreescu
    2. Simona Halep
    1. Naomi Osaka

  24. Hey, this is cool, thanks for hosting this contest! Here are my picks:

    10. Anett Kontaveit
    9. Elina Svitolina
    8. Karolina Pliskova
    7. Aryna Sabalenka
    6. Elena Rybakina
    5. Sofia Kenin
    4. Simona Halep
    3. Belinda Bencic
    2. Ashleigh Barty
    1. Naomi Osaka

    Looking forward to seeing my predictions crash and burn lol

  25. My Predictions
    1. Naomi Osaka
    2. Simona Halep
    3. Elina Svitolina
    4. Ash Barty
    5. Aryna Sabalenka
    6. Belinda Bencic
    7. Sofia Kenin
    8. Garbine Muguruza
    9. Iga Swiatek
    10. Jennifer Brady

  26. My Predictions
    1. Naomi Osaka
    2. Karolina Pliskova
    3. Simona Halep
    4. Ashleigh Barty
    5. Sofia Kenin
    6. Aryna Sabalenka
    7. Iga Swiatek
    8. Victoria Azarenka
    9. Garbine Muguruza
    10. Bianca Andreescu

  27. My 2021 YE Predictions:
    1. Naomi Osaka
    2. Ashleigh Barty
    3. Sofia Kenin
    4. Aryna Sabalenka
    5. Elina Svitolina
    6. Simone Halep
    7. Karolina Pliskova
    8. Iga Swiatek
    9. Viktoria Azarenka
    10. Elena Rybakina

  28. 1 Naomi Osaka
    2 Simona Halep
    3 Ashleigh barty
    4 Sofia kenin
    5 Bianca andreescu
    6 Karolina pliskova
    7 Petra kvitova
    8 Elina svitolina
    9 Victoria Azarenka
    10 Iga swaitek

  29. My predictions 🙂 year end pics for 2021:
    1) Naomi Osaka
    2) Simona Halep
    3) Sophia kenin
    4) Ash Barty
    5) Bianca Andreescu no
    6) Karolina Pliskova
    7) Petra kvitova
    8) Elena svitolina
    9) Aryna sabalenka
    10) Serena Williams

  30. 1 Naomi Osaka
    2 Simona Halep
    3 Ashleigh Barty
    4 Elina Svitolina
    5 Serena Williams
    6 Karolina pliskova
    7 Iga swiatek
    8 Petra Kvitova
    9 Bianca Andreescu
    10 Sofia Kenin

  31. 1. Naomi Osaka
    2. Simona Halep
    3. Ashleigh Barty
    4. Garbine Muguruza
    5. Petra Kvitova
    6. Sofia Kenin
    7. Elina Svitolina
    8. Karolina Pliskova
    9. Jennifer Brady
    10. Victoria Azarenka

  32. Sorry that I am a little late, but here is my alternative ranking. The future ranking system was altered ueaterday, so I feel free to join in now and again :

    1. Osaka
    2. Kenin
    3. Sabalenka
    4. Andreescu
    5. Barty
    6. pliskova
    7. Svitolina
    8. Halep
    9. Serena
    10. Azarenka

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