AO Women’s Review: Azarenka & Clijsters Biggest Winners in Melbourne

By Erik Gudris                                 Photo Credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

 

(January 29, 2012) With six players coming into this year’s Australian Open with a chance of being No.1, an unpredictable finish looked to be on the cards for the Women’s Singles event. But to some surprise, and relief, the favorites for the title actually made it all the way to the final weekend with the eventual champion not only winning her first Major and clenching the top ranking, but also slamming the door on any more talk of an “undeserving” No. 1, at least for now.

 

But even with Victoria Azarenka’s comprehensive victory over Maria Sharapova to mark the 22-year old’s rise to the top of the women’s game, there’s nothing to suggest that Azarenka will hold onto the top spot for very long. Followed closely behind by Petra Kvitova, Maria Sharapova, Caroline Wozniacki and Sam Stosur in the rankings, Azarenka will have her work cut out for her in the following weeks to maintain her new “Queen Victoria” nickname. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the No. 1 ranking gets passed around the top women week after week over the next few months which might end up earning the WTA more negative headlines than when Wozniacki held onto No. 1 in spite of her not winning a Major.

 

Even though she wasn’t in the hunt for No. 1, Kim Clijsters ended up being the most talked about player for the two weeks based on her remarkable come from behind win over Li Na and then her dismantling of Wozniacki in the quarterfinals to end the Dane’s 67-week run in the top spot. Though we’ve learned to say “never say never” with Clijsters, with this being her last stated trip to Melbourne marking what looks like the winding down of her second career, how she plays the rest of the season will be interesting to watch. But no matter what happens this year, Clijsters’s dramatic win in Melbourne against all odds gave tennis fans around the world one more inspiring chapter in her remarkable career.

 

And how will Li Na herself respond in what was for her a devastating loss to Clijsters after having four match points? It appeared the French Open champion was back on top of her roller coaster career but now it could take her awhile to climb out the depths of her disappointment. The same could be said for Sam Stosur who crashed out of the first round of her home Slam but with the Aussie pressure off of her now, she can focus on the next few months and possibly winning Paris if her head is in the right place.

 

The biggest question mark of all may be Serena Williams whose dismal fourth round loss may have proved once and for all she can no longer be a part-time player if she wants to contend for Majors again. Serena will be back at again for sure, but she could be subject to more off days as we saw in Melbourne and more injuries that just might prevent her from ever reaching a Major final again. Serena loves to prove everyone wrong, but it looks like her road back to being the very best just got a little longer.

 

As far as the rest of American tennis goes, hope still shines bright that perhaps Sloane Stephens or Christina McHale will begin to climb higher in the rankings as their games improve. And though she’s only 15, Taylor Townsend winning the Junior Girls title is a positive sign that another future AO Women’s champion may be on the way.

After all, the last junior to win the Girls title and then go on to win the Women’s title was no other than “Queen Victoria” herself.