Tennis Players to Watch in 2007, Part One
Posted by Aaress Lawless on Dec 19, 2006 | Print
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Martina Hingis
Hingis made this list last season, but I have to confess that I never thought that she would be in the top ten by the end of 2006. Recapturing her former glory was not easy for the Swiss Miss, and she will still have her work cut out for her next year if she wants to stay in the top ten as there is a quartet of talented youngsters gunning for her spot.
What to Look For in 2007: Hingis will either improve her losing record against her fellow top-ten members or finish 2007 somewhere in the mid teens-early twenties.
Nicole Vaidisova
Besides Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic, Nicole Vaidisova was the hottest teenager on the Tour circuit last season. She shocked the partisan crowd at Roland Garros by ousting their favorite Amelie Mauresmo in three sets, and then upset 2002 finalist Venus Williams in another three-set thriller two days later in the quarterfinals. On top of her semifinal finish at Roland Garros and her sixth career title at Strasbourg, Vaidisova reached a new career-high of No. 9 in August.
What to Look for in 2007: Look for Vaidisova to be a force on not only clay next season, but also hard courts - if she can keep her head and temper in the game.
Jelena Jankovic
Jelena Jankovic is not only a versatile tennis player that can go stroke-for-stroke with the top stars on Tour, but she can go head-to-head with most of them educationally. Tennis means a lot to the 21-year old, but she has taken advantage of her hours spent globe-trotting to study and improve academically. She’s not your average bookworm, though, which she proved by reaching the semifinals at the US Open and subsequently set a new high of No. 12 in October.
What to Look for in 2007: If Jelena Jankovic heads into the 2007 season in the same form that she ended 2006, I’m looking for her to crack the top ten by Wimbledon, if not sooner.
Anna Chakvetadze
It was not just Anna Chakvetadze’s title at the Kremlin Cup that made me pick her as the best young player of 2006, but it was also her consistency during the second half of the season. She won two titles back-to-back this fall, and if she heads into 2007 with her right arm completely healed, she will be a force to look out for Down Under.
What to Look for in 2007: Forget the battle cry of “The Russians are Coming.” They arrived a long time ago and it looks like they are here to stay. I would keep an eye out for Chakvetadze eventually passing up Elena Dementieva and Dinara Safina for the Russian No. 4 spot.
Ana Ivanovic
Nineteen year-old Ana Ivanovic is quickly developing into a fan favorite on Tour and her results have been backing up her popularity. Her best moment of the season came at the Rogers Cup in Montreal just prior to the US Open when she captured her first Tier I title in fine style over Martina Hingis. Her hard work and persistence paid off when she was crowned the US Open Series champion, denying Maria Sharapova a two million dollar paycheck after Sharapova captured the title at Flushing Meadows. Ivanovic may not be rocketing up the rankings as fast as some of the other teenagers on the circuit, but she has proved that she can keep her cool when the pressure mounts in big matches.
What to Look for in 2007: A healthy and rested Ana is already in Australia with high hopes for the season. Having a Tier I trophy to her credit should only increase her confidence and help her go deep at the Grand Slams in 2007.
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Chris | Dec 19, 2006 | Reply
I enjoy Vaidisova and Jankovic’s games very much. Great players they are. Vaidisova has got it all aside from a few mental chinks in her armor, and maybe the same with Jankovic. I’ve heard complaints about basically every area of Jankovic’s game, but I don’t see the problems really aside from inconsistency at times.
I’m mixed on Ivanovic; I feel she has a ton of potential, but she was 1-7 at the quarterfinal stage in 2006. Not to mention I really like her forehand, but in general, I just don’t know what to feel. I can see her grow on me, though.
Chakvetadze? She p***** me off when she beat my baby in the Kremlin Cup SF, and I hate that she cries so much. But that said, prior to her Kremlin Cup SF, I was becoming a big fan. I liked what I saw against Hingis in the Montreal SF, and I was actually rooting for her against Golovin, even though I’m a big fan of Golovin. I’m just a sore sport with the Dementieva match.
All in all, they’re good players to watch out for. I hope Golovin and Safina (and Bremond maybe? :o) are featured, too!
Alsacienne | Dec 20, 2006 | Reply
Chris, completely agree with your comments on Vaidisova, Ivanovic and Jankovic.
Disagree on Chakvetadze, though. To me, she has one of the most interesting games out there - the only up-and-comer who plays with touch rather than force as her primary weapon! Ah, I really look forward to seeing a lot more of her in 2007.
And you must be hating a lot of players if you are against everybody who beats Dementieva… I like her a lot, too, but boy, she really has to improve her game. It’s all up to her. I do hope she plays well and wins that slam next year
Brant | Dec 20, 2006 | Reply
I think all four of those girls will have HUGE years next year. I think Jankovic will be a top 10 player by Roland Garros and Chakvetadze will feature by the end of the year.
I also think that Sammy Stosur and Vania King will have great years. I am expecting a great result from Stosur at the Aussie Open and ending the year within the top 15!