Comparative analysis of Top 10 players and their performance at big tournaments in 2011

This blog likes to give its faithful readers an opportunity to contribute and show their take on women's tennis, so here's Omair's analysis of our year-end Top 10 players and their 2011 results at Grand Slams, Premier tournaments and the WTA Championships. Have a look at what the numbers suggest.

Just to note, in the following tables CW is Caroline Wozniacki, PK is Petra Kvitova, VA is Victoria Azarenka, MS is Maria Sharapova, LN is Li Na, SS is Samantha Stosur, VZ is Vera Zvonareva, AR is Agnieszka Radwanska, MB is Marion Bartoli and AP is Andrea Petkovic.

WIN-LOSS RECORD OF THE YEAR-END TOP 10 PLAYERS AGAINST EACH OTHER IN 2011

The win-loss record is in itself self-explanatory, showing who has been the most dominant player - Petra Kvitova. Please also note the number of wins by a player against Top 5 players, especially for Top 5 players.

OVERALL WIN-LOSS RECORD IN 2011

Kvitova is not the leader only in the percentage of wins over fellow season-ending Top 10 players, but is also the leader in yearly win-loss record overall.

2011 GRAND SLAM WINS OF TOP 10 PLAYERS

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Little Li Na posing in bell-bottoms

Our last featured player in the childhood photos series was Petra Kvitova – the highest-rising WTA player of the season, and now I'd like to feature China's Li Na, another tennis star with a breakthrough year:

  • Australian Open 2011 – Li became the first Asian, male or female, to reach a Grand Slam singles final
  • French Open 2011 – Li was first Asian player ever, male or female, to win a Grand Slam singles title
  • cracking Top 5 and reaching a career-high ranking of number four
  • qualifying for the year-ending Championships in Istanbul

Let's have a look at the little Wuhan girl before her tennis stardom. Judging by her comfortable posing and the fashionable outfit, Li could have easily developed into a model.

Besides numerous WTA players Women's Tennis Blog has featured in the childhood series, Zheng Jie, another Chinese player, also found her well-deserved place.

Sam, thank you for sending me Li's picture! ;)

Catastrophic end to Li Na's historic season

The 2011 year will be remembered as a landmark year in Li Na's career, as the Chinese clinched her first Grand Slam title at the French Open. However, the way she finished her participation at the season-ending WTA Championships, where only the best eight singles players from the season compete, should be forgotten. Li suffered the biggest loss in three years, falling to Samantha Stosur with a horrible scoreline of 6-1 6-0 in 66 minutes. In 2008 in Berlin Li lost to Nadia Petrova by the same scoreline.

Li has never defeated Stosur in their six meetings, four of which were in 2011, but today's defeat is the worst of the six. Just four winners and 32 unforced errors from a recent Grand Slam champion. Must be tough.

The US Open titlists Stosur has now reached her second semifinals at the WTA Championships. Last year she lost to eventual champion Kim Clijsters. This time Stosur's semifinal obstacle will be Petra Kvitova. (photo: Tidalist)

Can WTA Championships beat Grand Slams at tennis fashion?

I'm regularly reviewing fashion at Grand Slams (take a look at this year's tennis outfits at the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and US Open) and this time I've decided to add the season-ending Championships, as another great tennis stage. The singles field at the $4,900,000 tournament this year played in Istanbul consists of eight players, so only the mere quantity of players significantly reduces the diversity of outfits. Therefore, nothing can outclass Grand Slams as the best stages for all the fashion fun, although some stars had brand new looks prepared for the WTA Championships.

Li Na and Victoria Azarenka are sporting neat outfits, but they are nothing new, we've seen them in previous tournaments. Li is wearing Nike Women's Holiday Smash Classic Top and Pleated Skort. Azarenka already gave a lot of exposure to her Nike Women's Holiday Set Point Graphic Tank and a matching skort during her run to the Luxembourg title and Tokyo semifinals.

Petra Kvitova, another Nike representative, is just like Azarenka wearing purple and grape tones. Caroline Wozniacki is wearing the best of her recent Adidas by Stella McCartney dresses, which she should've worn at the US Open, in my opinion, instead of the similar dress in white. Read more »

Superb Azarenka beats Li, reaches Istanbul semifinals

Victoria Azarenka was the last player to come to Istanbul because she was occupied by winning the title in Luxembourg. Remember, the Belarusian was the only one missing in the glamorous player photo shoot introducing the luxurious tournament with the prize money of $4,900,000. The world No.4 continued her Luxembourg form (she didn't lose a set en route to the trophy) and at the WTA Championships she recorded two solid victories to reach her first semifinals in her third appearance at the tournament.

After dominating Samantha Stosur in her first round-robin match 6-2 6-2, with the same score Azarenka took out French Open champion Li Na to become the first certain member of the Istanbul final four. The fifth-ranked Li earned zero break points against Azarenka and hit 22 unforced errors more than her opponent (39 to 17).

Li was successful in her first match of the tournament, beating Maria Sharapova 7-6(4) 6-4. (photo: sr_cranks)


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