WTA year end and 2018 outlook

The WTA ended its year with a win by Caroline Wozniaki over Venus Williams.  This was a resurgent year for Wozniaki, as a result, in my opinion, of her decision to hit a flatter forehand inside out more often.  In the past her forehand was a predictable topspin crosscourt shot that players could prepare for and tee off on.  Now she is penetrating the court better, and with her awesome court coverage and fitness, she is back near the very top of the tour.  Look for continued success for her in 2018.

The WTA awards were as follows:

Player of the year:  Garbine Muguruza, Wimbledon champ.  Garbine has the talent to dominate the game, but does she have the psyche for it?  We’ll see.

Most improved: Jelena Ostapenko, French Open champ.  The upstart French Open titlist backed up her success pretty well, but look for her to struggle a bit in 2018 as more top players figure out how to play her.

Comeback Player of the Year:  Sloane Stevens.  After months away following surgery, she powered her way to the US Open title with some marvelous play.  She remains a bit of an enigma, however.  Witness her Fed Cup finals performances, where she was up breaks of serve in third sets of two matches and lost them both.  Like Muguruza, her mental approach will determine her success. 

Newcomer of the year:  Cici Bellis.  Kind of an unusual choice, given that she beat Dominika Cibulkova in the 2014 US Open.  If she continues to improve she will further buttress the already strong cohort of female players from the US.

Aces Award:  Angelique Kerber.  This is basically a sportsmanship award, though it purports to reward off court activities.  A tough year this year for Angie.  I predict she will continue to lose her grip on the top of the game.

2018:  Next year will see the return of Serena Willliams and Victoria Azarenka, both of whom took a break to become mothers.  Serena is not getting any younger, so I predict she will win a lot of matches but not retake the number one spot.  Her goal should be try to peak for majors, as Roger Federer on the men’s side does so well.  Azarenka is still pretty young, and if personal issues don’t interfere with her training and play, she could dash the title ambitions of many of her peers next year.

           

Players to keep an eye on include Karolina Pliskova, who still has a lot of room for improvement in her game, and Madison Keys, the hardest hitter on the women’s tour.  Of course there are many young guns as well.  Too many to list (like Osaka, Konjuh etc.).

                                      

Overall the tour should be exciting, unpredictable, and filled with dramatic matches.