Sports Then and Now

The action is hot and heavy this week in Miami. It marks the end of the traditional hard court season in America before the world turns to clay in April.

The surprises on the women’s tour continue as Serbian Jelena Jankovic overcomes her slump to take the No. 1 spot in our Power Rankings this week after winning the tournament in Indian Wells.

You just have to wonder who will orchestrate the next big surprise as the women fight for positions in the quarterfinals at the Sony Ericsson Open.

The Top Ten

1. Jelena Jankovic (Last Power Ranking: NR; WTA Ranking: 8 )

Last Four Tournaments: Sony Ericsson Open Miami [R16+], Indian Wells [Winner], Monterrey [R32], Dubai [R16].

Power Ranking Points: 681

Just when everyone was erecting a tombstone to mark the passing of Jankovic’s career, the Serb came back and won it all at Indian Wells. Jankovic progressed into the fourth round in Miami, so things were definitely looking up for her. The question remained––had she found her form and her energy level which had been missing in action for so long?

She had some tough matches awaiting her in Miami that would demonstrate if the Serb had the right stuff to continue her upward path. Unfortunately for Jankovic, she lost her fourth round match to Australia’s Samantha Stosur 6-1, 7-6.

As the tour moves on to the clay courts, counterpuncher Jankovic still hopes to climb back to the top of the WTA rankings.

2. Caroline Wozniacki (Last Power Ranking: NR; WTA Ranking: 2)

Last Four Tournaments: Sony Ericsson Miami [R16+], Indian Wells [Finalist], Dubai [R16], Australian Open [R16].

Power Ranking Points: 542

Missing from the Power Rankings for the past few weeks, Wozniacki comes in at the No. 2 spot after her appearance in the finals at Indian Wells. The teenager has been working hard to add dimension to her solid counterpunching game.

Her serve is becoming more of a weapon and Wozniacki is adding new-found power to her ground strokes. The results seem to be paying off.

She had fought her way into the fourth round and faced up-and-comer Russian Pavlyuchenkova for a spot in the quarterfinal––a match Wozniacki won 6-2, 6-2.

Currently ranked as world No. 2, Wozniacki is growing into her ranking. She will have to adjust quickly to the clay, fast approaching on the WTA calendar.

3. Agnieszka Radwanska (Last Power Ranking: 8; WTA Ranking: 9)

Last Four Tournaments: Sony Ericsson Miami [R16+], Indian Wells [Semifinals], Dubai [Semifinalist], Australian Open [R32].

Power Ranking Points: 449

Agnieszka Radwanska’s results so far in 2010 have been outstanding and have propelled her into the WTA top 10.  She is still alive in Miami and has been playing solid tennis during the early hard court season.

Radwanska dismissed veteran Elena Dementieva at Indian Wells as well as France’s Marion Bartoli. The young Pole has solidified her ground strokes and her consistency as key ingredients in her success.

Radwanska is one of the new young women on the rise in the women’s game. As she gains experience and fine-tunes her serve, the Pole should become a steady top 10 player.

4. Venus Williams (Last Power Ranking: 1; WTA Ranking: 5)

Last Four Tournaments: Sony Ericsson Open [R16+], Acapulco [Winner], Dubai [Winner], Australian Open [Quarterfinalist].

Power Ranking Points: 402

Like her sister Serena, Venus Williams opted not to play at Indian Wells. But she is back in action on the courts at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami where she has advanced to the quarterfinal round and will battle to make it into the semifinals against Radwanska.

Since the beginning of the year the elder Williams sister has been heating up the courts, making it to the quarterfinals at the 2010 Australian Open. From there she went on to take titles in both Dubai and in Acapulco. She definitely has her cap set to take the title in Miami as well.

5. Samantha Stosur (Last Power Ranking: NR; WTA Ranking: 10)

Last Four Tournaments: Sony Ericsson [R16+], Indian Wells [Semifinals], Dubai [R64], Australian Open [R16]

Power Ranking Points: 396

All at once the doubles specialist is lighting up the singles tour with astounding results. Stosur reached her career high singles ranking after making it to the semifinals at Indian Wells. She now sits at No. 10.

She remains alive in Miami after defeating Jankovic in the fourth round. Now she faces Clijsters in the quarterfinals for a spot in the semis in Miami. Her prowess in doubles has aided her results in singles as her game and her mental strength matured.

6. Victoria Azarenka (Last Power Ranking: 3; WTA Ranking: 7)

Last Four Tournaments: Sony Ericsson Open [R16+], Indian Wells [R32], Dubai [Finalist], Australian Open [Quarterfinalist].

Power Ranking Points: 339

Like many of the seeded players, Azarenka was still alive in the 4th round in Miami. Indian Wells, on the other hand, brought nothing but upsets for the top women seeds, including Azarenka.

The lady from Belarus is the defending champion in Miami, upsetting the No. 1 seed Serena Williams here last year. As such, she had many points to defend. But Azarenka was not able to hold off a strong-willed Clijsters and she lost her bid to repeat as champion at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami as the Belgian won 6-4, 6-0.

7. Justine Henin (Last Power Ranking: 7; WTA Ranking: 33)

Last Four Tournaments: Sony Ericsson Open [R16+], Indian Wells [R64], Australian Open [Finalist], Brisbane [Finalist]

Power Ranking Points: 337

After being dismissed unceremoniously at Indian Wells by Gisela Dulko, Justine Henin is fighting hard at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami. The Belgian already took out the unlucky No. 5 seed Elena Dementieva as Henin has managed to work her way into the quarterfinals, awaiting her shot at a semifinal slot.

As the tour moves onto clay, Henin’s favorite surface, you have to like her chances at improving that No. 33 ranking and making her way back into the top 10. You especially have to like her chances to re-establish herself as the French Open champion.

8. Vera Zvonareva (Last Power Ranking: 9; WTA Ranking: 23)

Last Four Tournaments: Sony Ericsson Miami [R16+], Indian Wells [R16], Dubai [Quarterfinalist], Pattaya City [Winner].

Power Ranking Points: 288

With last year’s points falling off, Zvonareva is no longer ranked in the top 20, now sitting at No. 23. This is her lowest ranking since 2007.

Frequently injured this past year, the Russian is struggling to maintain her form on court. As the defending champion at Indian Wells, her early dismissal by Samantha Stosur was a huge disappointment.

She remained alive in the 4th round in Miami, hoping for a spot into the quarterfinals. But in order to get there she had to defeat Henin––which the Russian was unable to do. Zvonareva lost to the Belgian 6-1, 6-4. Her tennis fortunes will continue to fall.

9. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Last Power Ranking: 5; WTA Ranking: 35)

Last Four Tournaments: Sony Ericsson Miami [R16+], Indian Wells [R32], Monterrey [Winner], Dubai [Quarterfinalist].

Power Ranking Points: 288

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova did not fare too well in the desert at Indian Wells but was confidently making her way through the draw in Miami. Another win would have taken her into the quarterfinals––but she lost to the No. 2 seed Wozniacki.

2010 looks like a break through year for the young Russian. The true test of her staying power will come as the ladies head to the European and American clay courts.

After stumbling at Indian Wells, Pavlyuchenkova hoped to redeem herself in Miami. Despite another disappointing dismissal we expect that soon all of the commentators will be forced to learn how to pronounce her name!

10. Marion Bartoli (Last Power Ranking: OLI; WTA Ranking: 15)

Last Four Tournaments: Sony Ericsson Open [R16+], Indian Wells [R16], Dubai [R16], Australian Open [R32]

Power Ranking Points: 249

Marion Bartoli has been injured much of 2010 and has been fighting her way back to match strength. She lost at Indian Wells to an inspired Radwanska in the 4th round. Her next opponent in Miami was the No. 1 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova. Bartoli was able to defeat the Russian and move on into the quarterfinals, definitely a good sign for the Frenchwoman.

The unorthodox Bartoli who plays all her ground strokes two-handed has only reached the top 10 once in 2007. Her ambitions would take her back to the top 10. Time will tell if she has it in her to get to the top of the women’s game again.

Outside Looking In

Shahar Peer (Last Power Ranking: 7; WTA Ranking: 20)

Power Ranking Points: 233

Shahar Pe’er has been playing terrific tennis of late even though she was thoroughly dismissed in Miami by Kim Clijsters. She is just outside our top 10 in the Power Rankings this week.

Kim Clijsters (Last Power Ranking: NR; WTA Ranking: 16)

Power Ranking Points: 221

After being prematurely dismissed by Russian Alisa Kleybanova at Indian Wells, Clijsters has revved up her game for Miami, hoping to win another championship. She got by a determined Victoria Azarenka in order to advance into the quarterfinals and we expect to see Clijsters back in the top of the Power Rankings next time.

Nadia Petrova (Last Power Ranking: OLI; WTA Ranking: 18)

Power Ranking Points: 206

After losing to Caroline Wozniacki in the 4th round at Indian Wells, Petrova was back in the round of 16 in Miami, but failed to advance to the quarterfinals. The question for Petrova never involves her skill but always depends on her mental strength during any match. She needs another win or two to advance her confidence and her early season ranking.