December 11, 2009

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With the 2010 Sony Ericsson WTA Tour calendar set to kick off in a matter of weeks, there are many compelling storylines to follow heading into the new tennis season, storylines that have fans of women’s tennis filled with renewed optimism.

Comebacks were the order of the day in 2009 and 2010 will mark the return of yet another great champion in Justine Henin. Seemingly inspired by the triumphant comeback of her compatriot Kim Clijsters, the six-time Grand Slam champion announced her ‘unretirement’ earlier this year after stepping away from the game in the spring of 2008. With the revival of the formidable Henin-Clijsters Belgian duo, a healthy Maria Sharapova and the ever-present Williams sisters, the biggest names of the past five years in women’s tennis are back where they belong with aspirations of reclaiming or retaining the glory they so cherish.

After enjoying breakthrough seasons in 2008, Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic and Dinara Safina endured sophomore slumps this season and are hoping for a fresh start come January. Ivanovic and Jankovic struggled with injuries and crises in confidence while Safina cracked under the pressure of holding the No. 1 ranking. There is no denying the immense talent these three players possess, now their mental toughness and self belief will be put to the test.

Then there are the rising stars of the women’s game who hope to continue to make life difficult for their more accomplished colleagues. Leading the way is 19-year-old Caroline Wozniacki who proved to be one of the more consistent performers on Tour in 2009 and was rewarded with a place in the Top 5 on the world rankings and a berth in her first Grand Slam final at the U.S. Open. Victoria Azarenka, Agnieszka Radwanska, Dominika Cibulkova, Sabine Lisicki and Canada’s own Aleksandra Wozniak (Blainville, QC) are just a few of the names poised to pierce the elite tier of the sport in the new year.

The pieces are in place and the stars are aligned for what promises to be one of the most exciting seasons on the Tour in recent memory. It’s now up to the players to deliver the goods and show yet again why women’s tennis is the most prestigious and most successful female sporting entity in the world.