WTA Rankings as of 16/02/2009:
Key:
Current Ranking - Last Weeks Ranking - Player's name - Player's Nationality - Total Ranking Points amassed over the past 52 weeks - Number of Events Played in the past 52 weeks
1 (1) WILLIAMS, SERENA USA 9632.00 15
Following Williams' recent grand slam triumph at the Australian Open, she has regained the number one ranking position. Her position may be in jeopardy in the coming month as she defends the titles she won last year in Bangalore, Miami and Charleston. She has advanced to the quarter-finals of the Premier 5 event, Barclays Dubai Tennis Championship this week.
2 (2) SAFINA, DINARA RUS 9150.00 20
The Australian Open finalist looks set to reach the summit of the rankings in the next two months as she has little ranking points to defend until early May. An early loss this week in Dubai to France's Virginie Razzano has given Safina something of a setback.
3 (3) JANKOVIC, JELENA SRB 8580.00 22
Jankovic finished 2008 as the world number 1, however a surprise loss to Marion Bartoli in the fourth-round of the Australian Open put paid to any hopes of her holding onto the top spot, and recent losses to Amelie Mauresmo in Paris and Estonia's Kaia Kanepi in Dubai are not good signs for the Serb.
4 (4) DEMENTIEVA, ELENA RUS 8286.00 20
Dementieva is currently enjoying her best ranking of number four in the world. The Olympic Gold medalist from last year has won 21of her 23 matches so far this season, yet she still seems incapable of beating the very best on the biggest stages. Having improved her serve, now her rigid game plan combined with limited tactical options are her biggest problems.
5 (5) ZVONAREVA, VERA RUS 6770.00 24
Zvonareva is also currently enjoying her best ranking of number 5. Having reached the final of the Season Ending Championships at the end of 2008, and the Australian Open semi-finals at the start of 2009, Zvonareva is guaranteed consistent results with her textbook smooth game, but does she have the weapons to ever win a grand slam or move even further up the rankings? Doubtful.
Zvonareva is also currently enjoying her best ranking of number 5. Having reached the final of the Season Ending Championships at the end of 2008, and the Australian Open semi-finals at the start of 2009, Zvonareva is guaranteed consistent results with her textbook smooth game, but does she have the weapons to ever win a grand slam or move even further up the rankings? Doubtful.
6 (6) WILLIAMS, VENUS USA 6144.00 14
After an extremely disappointing second round defeat in Australia this year at the hands of Spanish teenager Carla Suarez Navarro, the elder Williams has plateaued in the rankings at number 6. Her ground game has arguably become too passive, and she is relying too heavily on her serve to win matches.
Venus won't have too much to lose until Wimbledon this year, so a return to the top five for the current Wimbledon and Season Ending Champion isin't completely inconceivable.
7 (7) KUZNETSOVA, SVETLANA RUS 5510.00 19
The former US Open champion of 2004 has firmly hit a wall in her career's progress. The past 12 months will have been considered a disappointment. Hasn't won a title in over 18 months, nor has she beaten a top-10 played since Miami almost 12 months ago.
She posses enough firepower to beat mid-ranked journey women even when playing terribly, but sloppy, error-strewn performances havn't been cutting it against the elite. She served for the match against Serena Williams in the Australian Open quarter-finals before capitulating and losing 6-1 in the 3rd st.
With new coach Olga Morozova, she may way well turn it around though.
(8) IVANOVIC, ANA SRB 5492.00 18
Venus won't have too much to lose until Wimbledon this year, so a return to the top five for the current Wimbledon and Season Ending Champion isin't completely inconceivable.
7 (7) KUZNETSOVA, SVETLANA RUS 5510.00 19
The former US Open champion of 2004 has firmly hit a wall in her career's progress. The past 12 months will have been considered a disappointment. Hasn't won a title in over 18 months, nor has she beaten a top-10 played since Miami almost 12 months ago.
She posses enough firepower to beat mid-ranked journey women even when playing terribly, but sloppy, error-strewn performances havn't been cutting it against the elite. She served for the match against Serena Williams in the Australian Open quarter-finals before capitulating and losing 6-1 in the 3rd st.
With new coach Olga Morozova, she may way well turn it around though.
(8) IVANOVIC, ANA SRB 5492.00 18
The current French Open champion has posted a series of disappointing losses since Wimbledon last year. After a three-set loss to Russia's Alisa Kleybanova in Australia however, Ivanovic's form seems to be on the up.
She has recently started working with a new coach, Craig Cardon who formerly worked with legnd Martina Navratilova, and her results this week in Dubai have shown a marked improvement as she setted up a quarter-final clash with Serena Williams tomorrow.
Other notable ranking positions in the top 50 this week:
11 (13) CORNET, ALIZE FRA 3242.00 24
Cornet is on the brink of breaking the top 10 for the first time in her career. Cornet has only ever beaten two top 10 players, and already this year has choked away matches against both Jankovic (Paris OGDF quater-final), and Safina (Australian Open fourth-round) where she led 5-2 in the 3rd set, holding two match points before eventually losing 7-5 in the 3rd.
It's questionable how someone with such average results off a clay can make the top 10. This undoubtedly questions the current depth of the game.
It's questionable how someone with such average results off a clay can make the top 10. This undoubtedly questions the current depth of the game.
16 (17) SHARAPOVA, MARIA RUS 3030.00 11
Sharapova has been out of action since August last year with a shoulder injury. After missing the chance to defend her Australian Open title, Sharapova fell outside the top 15. Now with points from her victory in Doha last year set to come off next week, she is set to slide further down the rankings.Reports suggest that Sharapova plans to return in Indian Wells in March, but how long will it take for her to get back to the elite level? Will she ever?
The coming months will be interesting to watch how Sharapova bounces back on the WTA tour.
19 (24) MAURESMO, AMELIE FRA 2530.00 19
With a stunning run of form last week at the Paris Indoors event, beating Radwanska, Jankovic and Dementieva in succession, Mauresmo is experiencing something of a career renaissance. Since mid-2007, Mauresmo's career had fallen into the doldrums, and retirement talks were floating around throughout last year amidst a flurry of poor losses.Will she build on this form and return to the top 10?
Unlikely that she will be able to keep her form from last week up over an extended period of time, and fast indoor surfaces which suits her game perfectly are now becoming a rarity on the WTA calender. Slower hard court surfaces expose her weaknesses much more in comparison. With the current state of the WTA though, Mauresmo may well stand a chance of making an assault back into the big time.
19 (24) MAURESMO, AMELIE FRA 2530.00 19
With a stunning run of form last week at the Paris Indoors event, beating Radwanska, Jankovic and Dementieva in succession, Mauresmo is experiencing something of a career renaissance. Since mid-2007, Mauresmo's career had fallen into the doldrums, and retirement talks were floating around throughout last year amidst a flurry of poor losses.Will she build on this form and return to the top 10?
Unlikely that she will be able to keep her form from last week up over an extended period of time, and fast indoor surfaces which suits her game perfectly are now becoming a rarity on the WTA calender. Slower hard court surfaces expose her weaknesses much more in comparison. With the current state of the WTA though, Mauresmo may well stand a chance of making an assault back into the big time.
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