Win a WTA player autograph: Enter 2018 year-end ranking prediction challenge

December 20, 2017

For the eighth year in a row, my friend John Bolan will make his Top 10 WTA year-end ranking predictions for 2018, while you’re invited to tells us who you think will be Top 10 players when the upcoming season is finished. Your entry must be submitted in the comment section of this article by December 31, 2017. The best predictor will win a WTA autograph of choice from our collection! Let’s give the word to John!

I’ll start this article by giving you some hints to think about as you compile your Top 10 list. Think about the rankings of the players for 2017. What top players were injured or out of action for many months during 2017? Do you think any young players are ready for the Top 10? Do you have any personal favorites who just must be included?

Svitolina, John’s pick for WTA No.1 in 2018

Here are my answers, my Top 10 predictions for 2018:

Elina Svitolina
Garbine Muguruza
Karolina Pliskova
Simona Halep
Maria Sharapova
Caroline Garcia
Jelena Ostapenko
Johanna Konta
Madison Keys
Caroline Wozniacki

1. Svitolina was a consistent winner during 2017, with the desire and talent to be No.1.
2. Muguruza will play great and retain her No.2 ranking in 2018.
3. Pliskova has the fastest serve and is very dangerous.
4. Halep will try, but fail to hold her No.1 ranking during 2018.
5. Sharapova is back for the entire season in 2018 and has something to prove.
6. Garcia had a great finish in 2017, which will carry over to 2018.
7. Ostapenko, young and smart, tells it like it is. She has the personality and talent.
8. Konta has all the tools and will again finish in the Top 10.
9. Keys is overall the best American player, healthy and ready for 2018.
10. Wozniacki really stepped up her game in 2017 and will stay in the Top 10.

There are many very talented players I considered, but didn’t choose, including Belinda Bencic, Petra Kvitova, Victoria Azarenka, Sloane Stephens, Julia Goerges, Elena Vesnina, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Anastasija Sevastova, Natalia Vikhlyantseva, Aryna Sabalenka and the Williams sisters. You may wish to include some of these or other players. Take your best shot.

Now please go to the comment section at the end of this article and make your own picks. Only those who submit by December 31, 2017 will be eligible for the WTA autograph prize. Of course, the winner will be announced in December 2018. Best of luck!

31 COMMENTS

Mandy MacKenzie December 20, 2017 At 11:30 pm

1. Halep
2. Muguruza
3. Pliskova
4. Sharapova
5. Svitolina
6. Kvitova
7. Wozniaki
8. Barty
9. Pavlyuchenkova
10. Konta
Jim December 20, 2017 At 11:53 pm

1. Karolina Pliskova (Czech Rep.)
2. Garbine Muguruza (Spain)
3. Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark)
4. Evina Svitolina (Ukraine)
5. Simona Halep (Romania)
6. Coco Vandeweghe (USA)
7. Venus Williams (USA)
8. Maria Sharapova (Russia)
9. Ashleigh Barty (Australia)
10. Sloane Stephens (USA)

I had Serena in the top 10, but at the last minute took her out because something tells me she is retiring this year. And here is my LPGA (golf) top ten for 2018:

1. Sung Hyun Park (S. Korea)
2. Lexi Thompson (USA)
3. So Yeon Ryu (S. Korea)
4. Shanshan Feng (China)
5. Ariya Jutanagarn (Thailand)
6. In Gee Chun (S. Korea)
7. Christie Kerr (USA)
8. Sei Young Kim (S. Korea)
9. Anna Nordqvist (Norway)
10. Michelle Wie (USA)
Mentari December 21, 2017 At 5:42 am

1. Garbine Muguruza
2. Karolina Pliskova
3. Simona Halep
4. Elina Svitolina
5. Serena Williams
6. Maria Sharapova
7. Caroline Wozniacki
8. Jelena Ostapenko
9. Madison Keys
10. Coco Vandeweghe
ian December 21, 2017 At 6:56 am

1. Serena Williams
2. Maria Sharapova
3. Garbine Muguruza
4. Simona Halep
5. Elina Svitolina
6. Coco Vandaweghe
7. Madison Keys
8. Agnieszka Radwanska
9. Caroline Garcia
10. Kristina Mladeovic
James Bigotto December 21, 2017 At 7:43 am

1. Elina Svitolina
2. Karolina Pliskova
3. Garbine Muguruza
4. Serena Williams
5. Simona Halep
6. Caroline Wozniacki
7. Maria Sharapova
8. Agnieszka Radwanska
9. Petra Kvitova
10. Madison Keys
Ruta December 21, 2017 At 10:30 am

1. Karolina Pliskova
2. Elina Svitolina
3. Caroline Wozniacki
4. Simona Halep
5. Madison Keys
6. Garbine Muguruza
7. Petra Kvitova
8. Coco Vandeweghe
9. Daria Kasatkina
10. Belinda Bencic
emman damian December 21, 2017 At 11:11 am

This is really a tricky pick for 2018. I’ll take a risk and think out of the box. Here’s my Top 10:

1. Karolina Pliskova
2. Elina Svitolina
3. Simona Halep
4. Garbine Muguruza
5. Petra Kvitova
6. Caroline Garcia
7. Angelique Kerber
8. Sloane Stephens
9. Maria Sharapova
10. Caroline Wozniacki
Vithun December 21, 2017 At 12:08 pm

WTA is almost impossible to predict right now but here is my attempt!

1. Caroline Wozniacki
2. Simona Halep
3. Karolina Pliskova
4. Elina Svitolina
5. Serena Williams
6. Venus Williams
7. Caroline Garcia
8. Garbine Muguruza
9. Coco Vandeweghe
10. Sloane Stephens
Vithun December 21, 2017 At 12:13 pm

Made some mistakes! PLEASE USE THESE PREDICTIONS AS MY COMPETITION ENTRY!

1. Caroline Wozniacki
2. Simona Halep
3. Karolina Pliskova
4. Serena Williams
5. Elina Svitolina
6. Garbine Muguruza
7. Caroline Garcia
8. Venus Williams
9. Coco Vandeweghe
10. Sloane Stephens
Anna December 21, 2017 At 2:27 pm

1. Garbine Muruguza
2. Karolina Pliskova
3. Sloane Stephens
4. Maria sharapova
5. Caroline Garcia
6. simona Halep
7. CIci bellis
8. Petra Kvitova
9. Elina Svitolina
10. Caroline Wozniacki

I think I’m very wrong!!!
P!nky December 21, 2017 At 3:28 pm

Did horrible last year, but was still fun

1. Halep
2. Svitolina
3. Vandeweghe
4. Garcia
5. Sevastova
6. Keys
7. Puig
8. Konjuh
9. Wozzy
10. Konta

Honorable mentions
Both Williams. I think Venus might retire 🙂
Ostapenko
Kuznetsova
Kerber
Kvitova
I think JJ will retire this year 🙁
Roberto Kummelstedt December 21, 2017 At 4:10 pm

1. Muguruza
2. Svitolina
3. Serena Williams
4. Caroline Garcia
5. Venus Williams
6. Pliskova
7. Halep
8. Ostapenko
9. mladenovic
10. Ashleigh Barty
Jess December 21, 2017 At 5:52 pm

1. Pliskova
2. Muguruza
3. Wozniacki
4. Svitolina
5. Sevastova
6. S. Williams
7. Halep
8. Garcia
9. Ostapenko
10. Radwanska
Darren R December 21, 2017 At 7:36 pm

1. Garbiñe Muguruza
2. Simona Halep
3. Karolina Pliskova
4. Serena Williams
5. Caroline Wozniacki
6. Elina Svitolina
7. Ash Barty
8. Madison Keys
9. Coco Vandeweghe
10. Maria Sharapova
Michaela December 21, 2017 At 10:08 pm

1. Caroline Wozniacki
2. Elina Svitolina
3. Karolina Pliskova
4. Maria Sharapova
5. Coco Vandeweghe
6. Garbiñe Muguruza
7. Angelique Kerber
8. Ashley Barty
9. Johanna Konta
10. Petra Kvitova
CLT December 22, 2017 At 12:08 am

1. Pliskova
2. Muguruza
3. Svitolina
4. Sharapova
5. Halep
6. Wozniacki
7. Ostapenko
8. Kvitova
9. Kerber
10. Vandeweghe
Daffa Satria December 22, 2017 At 10:41 am

1. Karolina Pliskova
2. Simona Halep
3. Maria Sharapova
4. Jelena Ostapenko
5. Serena Williams
6. Elina svitolina
7. Simona halep
8. Caroline wozniacki
9. Asleigh Barty
10. Garbine MUguruza
KJ Hagans December 23, 2017 At 2:47 am

1. Garbine Muguruza
2. Elina Svitolina
3. Serena Williams
4. Jelena Ostapenko
5. Karolina Pliakova
6. Caroline Garcia
7. Madison Keys
8. Johanna Konta
9. Ashleigh Barty
10. Simona Halep
Francesco December 23, 2017 At 7:28 pm

1 Serena
2 Pliskova
3 Muguruza
4 Halep
5 Wozniacki
6 Venus
7 Radwańska
8 Svitolina
9 Kvitova
10 Mladenovic
Mayank Gupta December 23, 2017 At 7:46 pm

1 Halep
2 Azarenka
3 Sharapova
4 Kerber
5 S Williams
6 Ka Pliskova
7 Muguruza
8 Bencic
9 Svitolina
10 Garcia
Kartik December 24, 2017 At 9:40 am

1. Petra Kvitova
2. Garbine Muguruza
3. Svitolina
4. Pliskova
5. Serena Williams
6. Halep
7. Sharapova
8. Wozniacki
9. Garcia
10. Keys
Steven Edell December 24, 2017 At 8:08 pm

1 Serena
2 Pliskova
3 Muguruza
4 Halep
5 Kerber
6 Svitolina
7 Ostapenko
8 Sharapova
9 Wozniacki
10 Keys
Vicki December 25, 2017 At 7:28 am

1. Serena
2. Muguruza
3. Pilskova
4. Halep
5. Petra
6. Keys
7. Wozniaki
8. Barty
9. Garcia
10. Svitolina
Karla December 27, 2017 At 4:50 am

1. Muguruza
2. Svitolina
3. Halep
4. Konta
5. Wozniacki
6. Karolina Pliskova
7. Ostapenko
8. Sharapova
9. Garcia
10. Goerges
James December 28, 2017 At 8:42 pm

Particularly tricky this year and i’ve already changed my mind from what I posted on my site!

1. Elina Svitolina
2. Garbine Muguruza
3. Simona Halep
4. Caroline Wozniacki
5. Karolina Pliskova
6. Ashleigh Barty
7. Petra Kvitova
8. Angelique Kerber
9. Serena Williams
10. Maria Sharapova
Francisco December 29, 2017 At 11:12 am

1. Serena Williams
2. Maria Sharapova
3. Caroline Wozniacki
4. Elina Svitolina
5. Garbine Muguruza
6. Petra Kvitova
7. Simona Halep
8. Karolina Pliskova
9. Venus Williams
10. Angelique Kerber
Daryl December 30, 2017 At 2:31 am

1. Muguruza
2. Halep
3. Svitolina
4. Ka Pliskova
5. Wozniacki
6. Sharapova
7. Kerber
8. Konta
9. Ostapenko
10. Garcia
João December 30, 2017 At 5:09 am

1 Maria Sharapova
2 Garbiñe Muguruza
3 Serena Williams
4 Karolina Pliskova
5 Elina Svitolina
6 Caroline Wozniacki
7 Simona Halep
8 Julia Goerges
9 Ashleigh Barty
10 Ekaterina Makarova
Fiona S. December 31, 2017 At 5:25 pm

1.Caroline Wozniacki
2.Garbine Muguruza
3.Karolina Pliskova
4.Elina Sviolina
5.Carolline Garcia
6.Simona Halep
7.Johanna Konta
8.Madison Keys
9.Coco Vandeweghe
10.Serena Williams

1.Rafael Nadal
2.Aleander Zverev
3.Dominic Thiem
4.Stan Wawrinka
5.Roger Federer
6.Grigor Dimitrov
7.David Goffin
8.Marin Cilic
9. Juan Martin Del Potro
10.Nick Kyrgios
Harj December 31, 2017 At 10:49 pm

1. Muguruza
2. Serena
3. Pliskova
4. Wozniacki
5. Halep
6. Sharapova
7. Kvitova
8. Konta
9. Keys
10. Svitolina
Kevin Wu January 8, 2018 At 1:28 am

1. Elina Svitolina
2. Simona Halep
3. Karolina Pliskova
4. Serena
5. Konta
6. Muguruza
7. Goerges
8. Kerber
9. Kvitova
10. Sharapova