The Decade’s Top Ten Players, Part 2

Matt Trollope finishes his countdown at On the Baseline by unveiling his picks for the Top 5 players of this decade. To see his picks for players 6-10, go here.

(5) Maria Sharapova
Despite her off-court modelling, multi-million-dollar endorsement details and celebrity lifestyle, Maria Sharapova was born to compete, and produces her best tennis where it counts – the majors.

At just 22 years old, she already owns three Grand Slam titles (2004 Wimbledon, 2006 US Open and 2008 Australian Open) and has been ranked World No. 1 for 17 weeks. Following her quarterfinal finish at Roland Garros in 2004, Sharapova reached the semifinals or better in nine of the next 12 majors.

The Russian is one of the game’s best shotmakers; devastatingly powerful groundstrokes and an exceptional serve are the key weapons in her arsenal. Her intense focus and mental toughness are also huge assets, helping her bounce back from several recent setbacks – these include being destroyed in the 2007 Australian Open final by Serena Williams, and chronic shoulder injuries from 2007-2009 during which she spent several months away from the game. Now progressing quickly back up the rankings, Sharapova has a great chance of adding more major trophies to her burgeoning cabinet.

(4) Kim Clijsters
In 2009, the Belgian returned from a two-year hiatus and the birth of her first child to win the US Open, becoming just the third mother – and first in nearly 30 years – to win a Grand Slam title.

The achievement added to her impressive list throughout the decade, highlighted by two Grand Slam titles among 34 tournament victories, another four major final appearances, and 19 weeks as World No. 1. Her 2005 season was particularly impressive – after missing months out of the game with a wrist injury, she returned to claim nine titles (including the Indian Wells-Miami double and her first Grand Slam title at the US Open) and rose from outside the Top 100 to World No. 2.

During the first phase of her career (ending with her retirement in early 2007) Clijsters was renowned for her remarkable athleticism and court coverage, and booming groundstrokes. However, mental fragility delayed her breakthrough at the very top level of the sport, and she fell in four major finals before clinching her first in New York. Since returning at Cincinnati in 2009, Clijsters appears to have retained her exceptional shotmaking and athletic attributes, but now possesses increased on-court calm and mental toughness, possibly because family, not tennis, now primarily occupies her attention.

(3) Venus Williams
Reaching the top three players of the decade, the standard significantly lifts. Venus Williams was a prolific winner throughout the decade, with seven Grand Slam titles confirming her place among the greats of the game. Nowhere was Williams more dominant than at Wimbledon, where she recorded five of her major triumphs. Venus’ game is built for grass: a booming serve, flat powerful groundstrokes, brilliant athleticism and court coverage, and prowess at the net.

Despite not adapting her game to other surfaces as successfully – particularly clay – Williams posts solid statistics all around. Her seven majors are augmented by a further six finals appearances, eight finishes in the year-end Top 10, 11 weeks at the top of the rankings, and 32 titles. In an era of frequent player injuries, burnout and early retirement, Venus’ continued presence at the top of the spot speaks volumes for her consistency and longevity.

(2) Justine Henin
The little Belgian was awe-inspiring in her ability to match bigger, stronger rivals on court, and dazzled audiences the world over with her nimble footwork, intense fighting spirit and racquet artistry.

Henin possesses every shot in the book, most notably a one-handed backhand that has been marveled at ever since she burst onto the scene in 2001 with appearances in the French Open semifinals and Wimbledon final. Add to this a fearsome forehand, dependable serve, excellent net skills and fabulous retrieving abilities, and you have one of the most complete players in the history of the modern game.

Henin’s glittering resume is highlighted by four victories at Roland Garros, two US Open titles, an Australian crown, Olympic singles gold, two victories at the WTA Tour Year-End Championships, 40 titles and 117 weeks as World No. 1 (including three year-end No. 1 finishes). She saved her best for the major tournaments – during her peak years from 2003 to 2007, Henin reached at least the semifinals in 13 of 17 Grand Slams. Her inability to win Wimbledon currently counts against her, but after announcing a return to the sport in late 2009 after retiring in May 2008, the Belgian has her sights set on the All England Club and will draw upon her exceptional focus and mental strength in attempting to complete her Grand Slam set.

(1) Serena Williams
The younger of the Williams sisters is irrefutably the best female player of the last decade. Apart from an Olympic singles gold medal, Serena has won everything there is to win.

Her 10 Grand Slam singles titles during the decade came at all four events, including a monumental run of four straight from 2002-2003 that was termed the “Serena Slam.” She finished as the year-end No. 1 on two occasions, spent 83 weeks (as of December 28, 2009) in the top spot, won 30 titles and had eight year-end Top 10 finishes.

Her record in Grand Slam finals is outstanding, winning 10 from 13 final appearances. These figures were achieved thanks to the many weapons Serena has at her disposal. She possesses the best serve in the world, generates the greatest hitting power of anybody in the sport, and her legendary mental fortitude is unparalleled. With these being her obvious strengths, Williams’ exceptional athleticism, court coverage and wide array of shots remain overlooked and underrated. These attributes have helped her develop an intimidating aura, and she currently owns a winning head-to-head record over every other player on this list.

Do you agree with this Top 10 selection? Is there a notable omission or a player who should be ranked higher or lower on the list than she is currently? Leave us a comment with your thoughts.

Matt Trollope is a journalist from Melbourne, Australia. He has covered the past two Australian Opens for the tournament’s official website.