The Madrid Open has not been kind to seeded players on the women’s side as today saw Elena Dementieva, Agnieszka Radwanksa, and Marion Bartoli fall by the wayside. Probably the biggest news though was the rather routine win that Alona Bondarenko had over current world No.2 Caroline Wozniacki 6-2, 6-3.
That loss by the Danish teenager and a win tomorrow by Venus Williams in her match versus Francesca Schiavone would move Williams back into the No. 2 spot on the WTA tour just in time for the French Open.
Williams hasn’t been in the No. 2 spot since 2003 and it comes after a better than average year so far with a quarterfinal showing in the Australian Open, a finalist run in Miami and taking the titles in Dubai and Acapulco. Although Williams is still not viewed by many as a major threat for Paris, the new ranking would be much welcomed for the star who turns 30 in June as she goes after her sixth Wimbledon title.
Meanwhile, after Wozniacki’s finalist run at last year’s U.S. Open, what should have been a momentum building 2010 has instead turned into a bit of a stall. The Dane did win one small event in Ponte Vedra Beach and got to the finals of Indian Wells, but consistent injuries and tough losses to Justine Henin and Jelena Jankovic have so far raised more question marks about Wozniacki and if her steady, consistent game is enough to get her to No. 1 and win Grand Slams.
Although the likable Wozniacki, at 19, still has time on her side, she’s yet to develop a big shot that can end points quickly. Her tendency to also play events while injured, though admirable in some ways, along with being one of the few players to play almost every week it seems could cost Wozniacki down the line if her body can’t hold up. Perhaps losing the No. 2 ranking, if just momentarily, might be a good wake up call for her and her father, who’s also her coach, to reassess their strategy for the rest of the year.
Meanwhile, for Venus Williams, 2010 is turning into a bit of a career resurgence after many thought a run of injuries might spell the end of her dominance on tour. If Venus can challenge sister Serena for the top spot might be a little much to ask, but if anyone could do it, it’s Serena’s big sister. And Serena knows this. During a recent interview when Serena was asked if Justine Henin was her “Nadal” in terms of rivalries, Serena simply said, “No, that’s Venus.”
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