Is Thirty Tennis’ New Twenty?

Four veterans are eager to make headlines in the 2008 tennis season.

Monica Seles, Lindsay Davenport, Jennifer Capriati, and Mary Pierce have each tasted the thrill of victory in years past, but all are hopeful that the next season may again bring them success on the world’s tennis courts.

Combined, the four women have 17 Grand Slam singles trophies, 71 years of experience, and 138 singles titles. There is no doubt that they have a wealth of experience, talent, and success to their advantages, but in a sport dominated by women under 25 years of age, these thirty-somethings will have their work cut out for them in 2008.

Monica Seles - 34 years old

Time Off the Tour: Four years (left foot injury)
2008 Plans: Seles has confirmed that she intends to play a partial season in 2008, with particular emphasis on the larger Tier I tournaments and Grand Slams. If all goes according to plan, the nine-time Grand Slam champion may return as early as March’s Sony Ericsson Open in Miami.
Chance of Future Success: 40% - Seles has proven in the past that she can overcome a career-threatening, if not life-threatening injury, but that was fifteen years ago and under completely different circumstances. Monica has tested the comeback waters by playing a series of exhibitions with Martina Navratilova, but with all due respect to Navratilova, Seles knows that it will be different competing against today’s generation of players, compared to a fifty-year old woman.

Her biggest liability will be her movement, something that she may be able to compensate for with her power game. If Seles can still blast (and grunt) her groundstrokes from the baseline, she could be able to reach a quarterfinal or two, on a favorable surface. Most importantly, this time she’ll get a chance to say goodbye to the game for good, on her own terms.

Lindsay Davenport - 31 years old

Time Off the Tour: One year (pregnancy)
2008 Plans: Technically, Davenport made her official comeback during the 2007 season when she won two of the three tournaments she entered in the fall. However, 2008 will mark the year of her comeback at the majors. Davenport plans to contest a full season, with the notable exception of the European clay court events.
Chance of Future Success: 90% - It probably won’t not come at a Grand Slam, but expect Lindsay Davenport to hoist at least one trophy in 2008. The California events (i.e. Indian Wells, Los Angeles) bring out the best in their native star. Davenport will be a title contender at almost any event in the United States and a player to watch at Wimbledon.

Jennifer Capriati - 31 years old

Time Off the Tour: Three years (right shoulder injury)
2008 Plans: Every couple of months Jennifer Capriati tantalizes her fans by hinting that she wants to return to professional tennis. But for three years, Capriati has undergone multiple wrist and shoulder operations. A rumor has it that the three-time Grand Slam champion recently had another surgery, making it extremely unlikely that 2008 will be the year of her return.
Chance of Success: 10% - Look for 2008 to be the year when Capriati officially retires and decides to move on with her life.

Mary Pierce - 32 years old

Time Off the Tour: 14 months (left knee injury)
2008 Plans: Pierce has not officially announced her intention to return in the next season, but she has said that she would like to represent France at the Beijing Olympics.
Chance of Success: 50% - Only days after she horrifically blew out her left knee in Linz, Mary Pierce started talking about making a comeback. The road back has not been easy, but not once has Pierce hinted that she planned to give up. If her knee can hold up to the rigors of life on Tour, Pierce may be the comeback story of 2008.

This post is part of On the Baseline Tennis News’ 2008 Players to Watch Series.

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