[RatedG²]

Originally posted by @michael

She would have done better than Pavlyuchenkova. Doubles expertise is overrated in the modern game. If the top singles players played doubles, they would be the best. You can play from the back and still win in doubles.

Yes and no

Yes to her being better than Pavs. No to doubles expertise is overrated. If the top players suddenly just started playing doubles they would all get routined by doubles specialists, aka scrubs, except the Williams Sisters, Mug, Kvitova, Azarenka, Safarova, and Radwanska. You need to know how to volley (all have excellent volleys) and you need to know how to move forward (all of the named can do that well). No way someone like Sharapova, Halep, Kerber, Woz, etc would be in the top 10. Just not good enough

[@michael]

Disagree

[ReachOut]

They should've convened Kuz instead of Pavs tbh
Svetlana can play doubles and she is good at that + she loves the Fed Cup

[@michael]

I don't understand why Makarova was even invited when she's been injured for several months and didn't even get to play doubles. At first, I assumed that she was healthy again but would only play doubles because Pavs was somewhat in-form the last few weeks. But then they didn't even use her for doubles so it was very odd. Did they just assume that they were strong enough with three players and didn't need a fourth option?

[RatedG²]

I think Makarova came only for the Olympic requirement. And yes they should've used Kuzzy. If they did it would've been game over

[Thanatos]

Originally posted by @michael

I don't understand why Makarova was even invited when she's been injured for several months and didn't even get to play doubles. At first, I assumed that she was healthy again but would only play doubles because Pavs was somewhat in-form the last few weeks. But then they didn't even use her for doubles so it was very odd. Did they just assume that they were strong enough with three players and didn't need a fourth option?

Pavs won Linz&reached Moscow F. So everyone expected her to keep up this good work. If only she would be more consitant. She's worse than Mladenovic when it comes "peaking at the right moment".
Makarova was just there to scream Davai. Useless.
A perfect team would have been: Sharapova/Kuznetsova/Makarova (healthy+able to play at least 1 singles match)+ Vesnina.
But noooooo.......

[Tatoli]

Pavlyuchenkova was never going to do anything. Kuznetsova would've had more chances, or at least Sharapova should've played the doubles match, They made a mistake putting Vesnina and Pavlyuchenkova together especially after the latter had already choked against Kvitova. Even an injured Makarova would've done better than Pavlyuchenkova.
I guess Maria will attempt to snatch this a second (and probably last) time in 2019, if she cares enough.

[sychung4650]

Venus YE #7
Vika YE Top 30

[RatedG²]

Top 30

[sychung4650]

Originally posted by RatedG²

Top 30

The last time Serena was as extremely injured as Azarenka, she ended the year ranked No. 96. Some perspective

[RatedG²]

Originally posted by sychung4650

The last time Serena was as extremely injured as Azarenka, she ended the year ranked No. 96. Some perspective

But she didn't play a full season

[sychung4650]

Originally posted by RatedG²

But she didn't play a full season

Vika hasn't played a full season since 2012

[RatedG²]

Originally posted by sychung4650

Vika hasn't played a full season since 2012

Well I mean she played a lot this season. With how many tournaments she entered (and completed without withdrawing) Serena was already top 20 of not top 10. I mean not saying Vika can't do it (she will next year trust me) but it's kinda embarrassing. Caro ended the year higher despite a 0-4 H2H

[@michael]

Originally posted by sychung4650

The last time Serena was as extremely injured as Azarenka, she ended the year ranked No. 96. Some perspective

What a piss-poor comparison

[sychung4650]

Originally posted by RatedG²

Well I mean she played a lot this season. With how many tournaments she entered (and completed without withdrawing) Serena was already top 20 of not top 10. I mean not saying Vika can't do it (she will next year trust me) but it's kinda embarrassing. Caro ended the year higher despite a 0-4 H2H

Vika retired in about six events and has a chronic foot injury.

As for Caro So much for grand slams being more important than rankings. But congratulations to Karolina for Kuala Lumpur, keeping her ranking afloat, I guess.

Another day, another slay.

[sychung4650]

Originally posted by @michael

What a piss-poor comparison

What? It is an accurate comparison. It is incredibly hard to move up the rankings when you don't play a full season and are extremely injured throughout the whole year. The last time Serena was in that situation, she ended the year ranked No. 96.

[RatedG²]

Originally posted by sychung4650

What? It is an accurate comparison. It is incredibly hard to move up the rankings when you don't play a full season and are extremely injured throughout the whole year. The last time Serena was in that situation, she ended the year ranked No. 96.

She played a grand total of 16 matches and 4 tournaments. She missed the French and Wimbledon

Azarenka played all 4 slams and played 15 tournaments, finishing 9 of them.

Not the best comparison

[sychung4650]

Originally posted by RatedG²

She played a grand total of 16 matches and 4 tournaments. She missed the French and Wimbledon

Azarenka played all 4 slams and played 15 tournaments, finishing 9 of them.

Not the best comparison

She was injured the whole year, it is quite accurate. Do you expect an extremely injured player to just vault up the rankings? The only reason Serena did that, say, in 2011 was because she returned when she was no longer injured. But Azarenka has been carrying around this severe and chronic injury the whole year. The 6 retirements weren't in just the beginning of the year. They were spread out across the whole year, which goes to show how she hasn't been healthy since 2012.

[RatedG²]

Originally posted by sychung4650

She was injured the whole year, it is quite accurate. Do you expect an extremely injured player to just vault up the rankings? The only reason Serena did that, say, in 2011 was because she returned when she was no longer injured. But Azarenka has been carrying around this severe and chronic injury the whole year. The 6 retirements weren't in just the beginning of the year. They were spread out across the whole year, which goes to show how she hasn't been healthy since 2012.

Okay.

I expect her to win a few slams when she's healthy again

[sychung4650]

Originally posted by RatedG²

Okay.

I expect her to win a few slams when she's healthy again

Can't wait for her to catch Maria
I hope Wozniacka is able to get healthy soon too so she can start winning her first slam!