Number One Up for Grabs: Women
With the sudden retirement of Justine Henin in May, the holder of the Number One ranking for 2008 has become very hazy. Women’s tennis has had so many dominant Number One players over the past 25 years or so, e.g. Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, Serena Williams. As a result, it’s been a long time since so many different players have won the Grand Slam titles in one year, as well as their share of the regular Sony Ericsson WTA Tour events. The result is that several
top women have a legitimate claim on the Number One ranking for 2008. 2008 Australian Open champ, Maria Sharapova, and 2008 French Open champ, Ana Ivanovic, are definitely in the hunt for Number One, as well as Jelena Jankovic, Svetlana Kuznetsova and even Serena Williams. Wimbledon champ, Venus Williams, could also have a claim on the Number One ranking if she wins the Beijing Olympics or 2008 U.S. Open. Even a player such as Dinara Safina who is having a career year so far could have a chance if she wins in Beijing or at the U.S. Open. Normally, the Number One player is known by mid September after the U.S. Open. However, given the possibility that five different players could split the 2008 Grand Slam titles and Beijing Olympic Gold medal, the post-U.S. Open swing of fall tournaments and the year-end Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Championships could become even more critical this year. 2008 may also be a year in which the player at the top of the year-end computer rankings may not win the “popular vote” for 2008 Number One player. The next six weeks are key so let the games begin!
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