We have probably all asked that question about certain gifted players who appear to be stuck in the rankings, usually because of inconsistency. And inconsistency can be caused by several things, but I think it is usually caused by a lack of mental strength, chronic injury, or--in some cases--both, because having injuries causes players to lose confidence.
The players on my own list include Gisela Dulko, Michaella Krajicek and Marta Domachowska. Other players who probably pop up on such lists are Carla Suarez Navarro and Kirsten Flipkens.
Who is on your list?
6 comments:
2 of my favourites, Lucie Safarova and Anna-Lena Groenefeld
Lucie could easily be a regular in the top 15 if she got her game together for good, without slumps and streaky play. I think this year she is improving her consistency, so hopefully she keeps moving up the rankings.
As for ALG, i see her as someone who could easily be top 20-25 with her game, but she is very mentally fragile, as we saw in 2007 with her weight gain and decrease in her game. She is back, but not doing so well this year. Hopefully she turns ot around again :)
Safarova is such a good choice--I should have put her on my own list, and I wish I had. She is capable of playing some really excellent tennis. I agree that if she can overcome her streakiness, she is a real threat.
Groenefeld has shown before how good she can be. I hope she can continue to work her way back.
Well you can feel free to add lucie in now, I think she is one of the prime examples of not being ranked as high as she should!
Great question, lets see:
Tsvetana Pironkova: She has had impressive victories over top 10 players, but somehow she has been unable to move up from number 40 (or her current 50).
Nuria Llagostera: Its been 4 years since her career high of 35, now she is out of the top 100, but we know what she is capable of... i mean, Fed Cup last year?
Lucie Safarova: David said it, she has the game of a top 15 player but the consistency of... well, Safarova.
And I know she has been injured badly and thats the reason behind her momentum gone, but i really miss Eleni Daniilidou.
Tamira Paszek!
These are all good choices. Even before Daniilidou was injured, she struggled with consistency. Llagostera Vives has to struggle with her size. Pironkova is a bit of a mystery.
As for Paszek, she has had a lot of emotional turmoil with her father and with coaches, and I don't know if that is continuing (despite statements from her that it is not), or whether she lacks the mental strength to be an important competitor. She is young, yes--but so were Chris Evert, Martina Hingis and Jennifer Capriati.
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