It has been a long six years since Venus Williams competed at the season-ending WTA Tour Championships.
The 2008 Wimbledon champion is next in line to qualify, but the results of a nineteen year-old from Poland will settle the field for the Sony Ericsson Championships – Doha 2008.
By virtue of winning last week’s Tennis.com Zurich Open in Switzerland, Venus Williams nearly assured herself of a spot in the season-ending event. She has not competed at the tournament since 2002, and is eager to play in Doha next month.
“I haven’t managed to play at the championships since 2002 so obviously I’m excited to be healthy enough to play there this year,” said Williams after winning in Switzerland.
As of October 20, Venus Williams held 2522 Race To The Sony Ericsson Championships points, just seven more than Maria Sharapova. Sharapova has taken herself out of contention for the Doha Championships because of a lingering shoulder injury. Ironically in 2007, Sharapova’s entry into the Championships was assured because of the withdrawal of Venus Williams, who pulled out with an unspecified illness.
Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska is the one player who could potentially vie with Venus Williams and Vera Zvonareva for a spot in the singles competition.
It will not be easy for the teenager who must win this week’s Generali Ladies Linz in Austria, as well as enter and win next week’s Bell Challenge in Quebec City, Canada. If Radwanska loses a match at either event, Williams and Zvonareva will automatically qualify as the final two singles competitors.
