Tennis Season 2008 - WTA Tour

Jelena - the Queen of the Year!

This season brought us many interesting results, matches and tournaments. Few girls have been on the top of the WTA list, and the final queen for 2008 is Jelena Jankovic. She will stay #1 till the beginning of new season in January, in Australia. Anyway, girls have been protested several times about WTA calendar and very tough schedule: this caused numerous injuries this year, many withdraws and that's not something to be good for players nor public, not to mention organizers and sponsors. Maybe WTA people should think about it when they start planning 2009


By MARKO ANDREJIC
from Belgrade, SERBIA


The last tournament of women's tennis - WTA Tour in 2008, took place in Doha (Qatar). Final Masters Cup has been played in two groups and gathered in one place World Top 8 players at the moment. Two Serbians - Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic, two Americans - Williams sisters, Serena and Venus, and even four Russians - Dinara Safina, Elena Dementieva, Vera Zvonareva and Svetlana Kuznetsova. Three nations in the top of women's tennis and that is the result of this year.

Talking about tournament in Doha, the most interesting (and disappointing) was the number of spectators: so much money has been invested in whole organization, the city is just beautiful, stadium is impressive but empty! That's a big question mark for the organizers and top management of WTA! If we put that aside, tennis was really good and quality one, at least in first two rounds. First two players from each group passed through to the semifinals and when the results were obviously disappointing for some girls, they just decided to walk out (with different explanations - mostly injuries) and then Agnieszka Radwanska and Daniela Hantuchova got their chance to play, as substitutes.

Jelena Jankovic confirmed she is the best in women's competition at the moment, although she didn't win the title in Doha after losing semifinal against Venus Williams. She is in top form, playing constantly and finally without injury problems. Unfortunately for her, it's the end of the season and after next almost two months of break she will have to prepare for new challenges in new season. Her promise is one Grand Slam title in 2009! Ana Ivanovic is, on the contrary, going down with her form last weeks or even months. Maybe her new boyfriend Fernando Verdasco is the reason for that but anyway, after winning Roland Garros in May she didn't present too much of her obviously great potential. Injury was her problem also but now she will have enough time to recover.

Williams sisters don't play so many tournaments during the year, like most of top players do, but their form is usually the best when it's needed. Serena has been withdrawn from the last round in Doha because of injury but Venus won another title after defeating Vera Zvonareva in the final. Their schedule is very well organized and that's sure they will stay in Top 10 players in next period.

Russian school brought us the most players in Doha this time. Vera Zvonareva is the biggest surprise of the whole year, she started with 27th place on WTA ranking list and finished in Top 8! Even more she did a great job in Qatar with three wins in her group, and then against Elena Dementieva in semifinal, to lose the final match against older Williams sister. Well-known as "a little nervous girl talking to herself all the time during the match" made one step more this year in her career and it's sure this is not the end of her improvement. Next season should be the one to show what her realistic results can be. Elena Dementieva has also made an improvement this year, but still has problems with finishing "already won" sets and points. More self-confidence would be welcome to this beautiful Russian lady. Dinara Safina had a great period in the middle of season with some titles won in a row, week after week, and playing in Roland Garros final. It seems like she was tired recently and that stopped her doing the final job. Svetlana Kuznetsova started this year on the 2nd place of WTA list, and the predictions were that she will be the only one to have possibility to reach Justine Henin. Belgium player decided to withdraw from professional tennis but Kuznetsova didn't take this opportunity. Actually, she seems to be the biggest disappointment at the end of season. She fallen down couple of places on the list but more than that the problem is in her plays and very bad form recently. She finished the last tournament with losses.

This season brought us many interesting matches, tournaments and results. Few girls have been on the top of the WTA list, and the final queen for 2008 is Jelena Jankovic. She will stay #1 till the beginning of new season in January, in Australia. Anyway, girls have been protested several times (as well as men, too) about WTA calendar and very tough schedule: it's not easy to play hard matches every week and the best players have to do that if they want to keep their points or avoid some serious consequences from WTA Tour. Not to mention public appeareances, photo shootings, advertisings... The schedule and system of playing in women's tennis caused numerous injuries this year (Maria Sharapova is one example), there were many withdrawings and that's not something to be good for players nor public, not to mention organizers and sponsors. Maybe "WTA people" and the top management of women's tennis should think about it when they start planning 2009.


(Published: 15.11.2008.)