Think the 2009 Sony Ericsson WTA Tour season is finished just because the US Open is over? Back away from that football game because some of the best tennis might still be to come.
1. The Race for the No. 1 Ranking
The competition heats up this fall as the battle for the season-ending Sony Ericsson WTA Tour number one ranking begins. Dinara Safina continues to hold a slim lead over Serena Williams, but it might come down to which player has the most successful indoor season this fall.
Can Dinara finish No. 1 for the first time in her career? On the other hand, will Serena Williams end another season second behind someone who failed to win a major title?
2. The China Open
Before players can hang up their racquets for the year, they have one last mandatory stop on the calendar. Beijing, China is playing host to the revamped China Open—a combined event featuring players from both the ATP World Tour and the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour.
The tournament, which is a mandatory WTA event, has confirmed entry by all players ranked inside the Top 47. Five additional places are reserved for Chinese players and discretionary wild cards, with the last eight places going to qualifiers.
3. The Return of Justine Henin?
Word on the street from Belgium has rapidly accelerated as rumors abound that Justine Henin is nearing a decision about a comeback return.
While it is unlikely that Henin would return before the start of the 2010 season, fans can console themselves that she has resumed training as she prepares for an exhibition event. Exhibition matches can be meaningless, but the second phases of Martina Hingis and Kim Clijsters’ careers each started the same way.
4. The Sony Ericsson Championships
November ushers in the crown jewel of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour calendar, the season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships. Only the best of the best are invited to participate in the round-robin event, and to-date, only six players have qualified, namely Dinara Safina, Serena Williams, Caroline Wozniacki, Elena Dementieva, and the co-ranked number one doubles team of Cara Black and Liezel Huber.
With $4.45 million dollars on the line, this is a competition not to be missed.
nice,welcome to china open