The Top Ten... A Year Later
A year ago, a glance at the top ten ranked male and female tennis players looked a bit different than it does today. Rafael Nadal and Jelena Jankovic held the number one spots, now occupied by Roger Federer and Serena Williams. Russia is the most dominant country with four women ranked in the top ten and Nikolay Davydenko holding down the fifth spot
in the 2009 men’s top ten. In 2008, Russia, with five women in the top ten and Nikolay Davydenko ranked fifth was the most dominant country. Maria Sharapova, on the comeback from shoulder surgery, slipped down in the rankings ending this year at 14th. The United States had four players in the top ten in 2008, i.e. Andy Roddick, James Blake and Serena and Venus Williams. Blake has dropped all the way down to 44th at the end of 2009. Serbia was next with three players represented in 2008, i.e. Jankovic, Ana Ivanovic and Novak Djokovic, but in 2009 Ivanovic, the 2008 French Open Champion, has dropped dramatically and is now ranked 21st.
Looking ahead to 2010, the men’s rankings could easily shift around given the strong play of Andy Murray and Juan Martin de Potro and it’s possible that the Number One ranking will change hands a couple times during the year. On the women’s side, the returns of Belgians, Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin, coupled with the continuing comeback of Maria Sharapova should pose challenges for the current crop of top ten players. It should be a very exciting year on the women’s side, if (and it’s always a big “if”), the top women can all stay healthy and compete in the four Grand Slams.
2009 season-ending rankings…
1. Roger Federer (Switzerland)
2. Rafael Nadal (Spain)
3. Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
4. Andy Murray (Great Britain)
5. Juan Martin del Potro (Argentina)
6. Nikolay Davydenko (Russia)
7. Andy Roddick (USA)
8. Robin Soderling (Sweden)
9. Fernando Verdasco (Spain)
10. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (France)
1. Serena Williams (USA)
2. Dinara Safina (Russia)
3. Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia)
4. Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark)
5. Elena Dementieva (Russia)
6. Venus Williams (USA)
7. Victoria Azarenka (Belarus)
8. Jelena Jankovic (Serbia)
9. Vera Zvonareva (Russia)
10. Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland)
2008 season-ending rankings…
1. Rafael Nadal (Spain)
2. Roger Federer (Switzerland)
3. Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
4. Andy Murray (Great Britain)
5. Nikolay Davydenko (Russia)
6. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (France)
7. Gilles Simon (France)
8. Andy Roddick (USA)
9. Juan Martin del Potro (Argentina)
10. James Blake (USA)
1. Jelena Jankovic (Serbia)
2. Serena Williams (USA)
3. Dinara Safina (Russia)
4. Elena Dementieva (Russia)
5. Ana Ivanovic (Serbia)
6. Venus Williams (USA)
7. Vera Zvonareva (Russia)
8. Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia)
9. Maria Sharapova (Russia)
10. Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland)
Looking ahead to 2010, the men’s rankings could easily shift around given the strong play of Andy Murray and Juan Martin de Potro and it’s possible that the Number One ranking will change hands a couple times during the year. On the women’s side, the returns of Belgians, Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin, coupled with the continuing comeback of Maria Sharapova should pose challenges for the current crop of top ten players. It should be a very exciting year on the women’s side, if (and it’s always a big “if”), the top women can all stay healthy and compete in the four Grand Slams.
2009 season-ending rankings…
1. Roger Federer (Switzerland)
2. Rafael Nadal (Spain)
3. Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
4. Andy Murray (Great Britain)
5. Juan Martin del Potro (Argentina)
6. Nikolay Davydenko (Russia)
7. Andy Roddick (USA)
8. Robin Soderling (Sweden)
9. Fernando Verdasco (Spain)
10. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (France)
1. Serena Williams (USA)
2. Dinara Safina (Russia)
3. Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia)
4. Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark)
5. Elena Dementieva (Russia)
6. Venus Williams (USA)
7. Victoria Azarenka (Belarus)
8. Jelena Jankovic (Serbia)
9. Vera Zvonareva (Russia)
10. Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland)
2008 season-ending rankings…
1. Rafael Nadal (Spain)
2. Roger Federer (Switzerland)
3. Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
4. Andy Murray (Great Britain)
5. Nikolay Davydenko (Russia)
6. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (France)
7. Gilles Simon (France)
8. Andy Roddick (USA)
9. Juan Martin del Potro (Argentina)
10. James Blake (USA)
1. Jelena Jankovic (Serbia)
2. Serena Williams (USA)
3. Dinara Safina (Russia)
4. Elena Dementieva (Russia)
5. Ana Ivanovic (Serbia)
6. Venus Williams (USA)
7. Vera Zvonareva (Russia)
8. Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia)
9. Maria Sharapova (Russia)
10. Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland)
|| Comments (0)
