Will Vika be #1 again? Ever??

[Correspondent Kiu]

I think this is a valid question, Vika has not been the same as the 2012 version!
Injuries, withdrawls and questionable triumphs has plagued her year.

Will she ever become #1 again?

 

[tented]

Yes -- but probably not until Serena retires.

 

[kskate2]

Agree. When Serena retires or achieves her goals, Vika and Maria will probably flip-flop the position.

 

[ozza]

Given her record against everyone not named Serena Williams likely yes.

Azarenka has the same 90% winning % (27/3) this year that she did at this time last year as well (38/4).

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

Depends on what happens with Serena and her ability to defend her points or make it far enough into tournaments to not lose too many points. Health plays a very important role in this one. I can see Serena holding onto number 1 at least through next year this time. It only get tougher when you have to consistently win titles to defend and maintain your points. Serena is allowing herself very little wiggle room in which she has to outright win titles to maintain her points. The blessing and curse of being a winner as they certainly don't give you any points for defending your titles.

 

[Calvy]

Yes, she's had a career clay court season, it's not as though she had a free fall in the ranking, let be real, she lost points because she was injured and couldn't play some events, and I know of no questionable victories this year.

 

[britbox]

She's #2 in the world and 23 years of age. I'd hazard a guess that she will be #1 again at some juncture. You won't lose money making that bet.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

If I ran this poll on Caro, I doubt anyone would vote for her, other than some sentimental votes. She used to be #1 in the world.

I voted no to Vika, she is just too prone to injury and still streaky.
I see her on a down-turn, may be she can change my mind with a good showing next couple of months.

 

[ozza]

If I ran this poll on Caro, I doubt anyone would vote for her, other than some sentimental votes. She used to be #1 in the world.

I voted no to Vika, she is just too prone to injury and still streaky.
I see her on a down-turn, may be she can change my mind with a good showing next couple of months.

Might have something to do with Caro is currently #9 in the world and rapidly heading out of the top 10 right now. You are asking the question about the #2 in the world and reigning Australian Open champion, a big difference.

There is nothing streaky about Vika's play at all. She has 1 loss* to a player not named Serena Williams or Maria Sharapova in over a year. And that was in her first tournament after an injury layoff, and a match she should have won anyway. It doesn't get any less streaky than that.

*I am aware she officially has 2 losses on her record, but I don't pay any attention to a 3-3 ret'd loss to Paszek because she clearly did not want to be in Montreal at any point.

 

[jhar26]

She is younger than her two main rivals and better than the other important players from her age group. And she's very consistent. So the only logical answer is "yes." It's always possible of course that Serena will hold on for a few more years and that in the meantime one of the youngsters (Sloane, Keys, Robson, etc) has made her move. But the odds are in Vika's favor. I'm not saying that she'll have a stranglehold on #1 once Serena retires (or start to decline) but she is likely to be #1 at least some of the time.

 

[Calvy]

If I ran this poll on Caro, I doubt anyone would vote for her, other than some sentimental votes. She used to be #1 in the world.

I voted no to Vika, she is just too prone to injury and still streaky.
I see her on a down-turn, may be she can change my mind with a good showing next couple of months.

Not sure why you're so negative on Vika, she just made the semi's of French and final of Rome, and he's 2 in the world.

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If I ran this poll on Caro, I doubt anyone would vote for her, other than some sentimental votes. She used to be #1 in the world.

I voted no to Vika, she is just too prone to injury and still streaky.
I see her on a down-turn, may be she can change my mind with a good showing next couple of months.

Not sure why you're so negative on Vika, she just made the semi's of French and final of Rome, and he's 2 in the world.

 

[jhar26]

If I ran this poll on Caro, I doubt anyone would vote for her, other than some sentimental votes. She used to be #1 in the world.

I voted no to Vika, she is just too prone to injury and still streaky.
I see her on a down-turn, may be she can change my mind with a good showing next couple of months.

I don't think that Vika herself is any worse than twelve months ago. The only difference now is the Serena factor. But without Serena Vika and Maria Sharapova would do battle for #1 and leap frog each other every now and then for that position. Same as in 2012.

The situation that Caroline is in is totally different. She's not even half the player now that she was in 2009-2011 while there are a few players now that were better than Caroline was even in 2009-2011. So for Caroline to even have a chance to get back to number one she would not just have to find back her form of 2010. That wouldn't be enough. She would have to be even better than she was in those days. At a time when she can hardly win a match anymore that seems like a very unlikely scenario. I would love for her to prove me wrong though.

 

[revan]

Not this year, but ever???? Of course yes if nothing major happens.