WTA'S CONTENDERS AND FLOATERS - USO 2013

As we approach the final Grand Slam of the year, the Spin takes a look at the list of floaters and contenders for the USO Title.  For the next 2 weeks, I will have Master Ace, a tennis fan and fellow WTA aficionado breaking down the women's draw and assisting with Suicide Picks and daily commentary on the matches to watch and providing up to date commentary on the match that was.  You can follow Master Ace on Twitter at @TWMasterAce

You will also have your very own Spin’s takes on matches to watch and why you should mute your tv and go find a stream on which to watch tennis matches. 

So, without further ado, below are Master Ace’s contenders and floaters.

United States Open Top 10 WTA Contenders and Floaters

2013 record (as of 8/18/13) – Best United States Open Result – Wins, other results and comments

(1) Serena Williams(60-4) : 1999, 2002, 2008 and 2012 W:  French Open, Miami, Madrid, Rome, Toronto, Brisbane, Charleston and Bastad . Even though she has had a dominant year, some people would consider her year a disappointment if she does not defend her United States Open title. She lost a tough final in Cincinnati to Victoria Azarenka despite not playing well all tournament. She will be playing for 2.6 million dollars as she won the USO Series.

(2) Victoria Azarenka(34-4): 2012 F:  Australian Open, Doha and Cincinnati. Recovering from the fall from Wimbledon, she won the title at Cincinnati defeating Serena Williams and made the finals at Carlsbad. However, injury and a questionable serve can derail her from winning her first Slam outside of Melbourne. In 2012, she was one game away from the title leading 5-3 in the final set.

(3) Na Li (32-11): 2009 QF:  Shenzhen. She had a solid summer as she made the semifinals at Toronto and Cincinnati. If she gets on a hot streak, there are only two players that can slow her down but if she is struggling, she can make plane reservations back to China.

(4) Agnieszka Radwanska (42-13): 2007, 2008 and 2012 R16: Sydney and Auckland.  She made the finals at Stanford, semifinals at Toronto, quarterfinals at Carlsbad and quarterfinals at Cincinnati. She pulled out of the tournament at Cincinnati due to the death of her grandfather. She is the only player to make at the least the quarterfinals in the previous 3 Slams played.

 (5) Maria Sharapova (37-7): 2006 W: Indian Wells and Stuttgart. Since making the finals at the French Open, she has been struggling. She lost in the second round at Wimbledon and at Cincinnati. At Wimbledon, she slipped and injured her hip in the process which caused her to miss Toronto. In that time frame, she hired Jimmy Connors to coach her but after losing in Cincinnati, she gave Connors his dismissal papers via her Dad. If I saw and/or read correctly, her Dad will be coaching her for the United States Open.

(6) Petra Kvitova(35-18): 2009 and 2012 R16:  Dubai. So far during US Open Series, she made the quarterfinals at Carlsbad losing a 3 hour and 35 minute match, quarterfinals at Toronto and losing a tough 3 setter at Cincinnati. Since 2012 started, Kvitova has struggled to meet expectations despite winning some good tournaments.

(7) Samantha Stosur(28-17):  2011 W:  Carlsbad. She won the title at Carlsbad defeating Victoria Azarenka. Since then, she has not been able to consolidate that win at Toronto and Cincinnati. After her loss in Cincinnati, she and David Taylor spilt after 6 years. Alicia Molik will be coaching her for the United States Open but a permanent coach is scheduled to be in place for the fall season.

(8) Jelena Jankovic(36-15). 2008 F:  Bogota. She has played well so far in 2013 and in Cincinnati, she gave Azarenka a tough 3 set match where that match had 23 breaks of serve in 27 service games played.

 (9) Caroline Wozniacki (24-18): 2009 F:  This year has been a disappointment for her as she is losing matches against players that she would have defeated in 2010 and 2011.  In the last 2 weeks, she lost a tough 3 setter in Toronto and a tight 2 setter in Cincinnati. In Toronto, she had 2 match points to defeat Sorana Cirstea and in Cincinnati, she played well against  Victoria Azarenka but Azarenka was too tough on the crucial points. Will she continue to play decently when the United States Open starts as this has been traditionally her best Slam?

 (10) Sloane Stephens (27-17): 2011 and 2012 R32. Her best performances of the season have been in Slam play where she has made the 4^th round or better in all Slams. In Cincinnati, she got her 2^nd signature win of the season defeating Sharapova in Cincinnati. Before Cincinnati, she won only one match in USA for the year.

FLOATERS 

Sorana Cirstea (29-20): 2009 R32. She had her best tournament of the season when she made the finals at Toronto defeating 4 seeds along the way. All the seeds she defeated were either a former number 1 or a Slam champion getting good coaching advisement from Darren Cahill along the way.

Sara Errani (43-18): 2012 SF. Acapulco

Simona Halep (31-14):2011 & 2012 R64.  Nurnberg,’ s-Hertogenbosch and Budapest.  She made the quarterfinals at Cincinnati in her only US Open Series event\

Angelique Kerber (30-17): 2011 SF

Maria Kirilenko (31-14): 2011 R16 - Pattaya City

Since the above list was compiled, we have had the withdrawal of Maria Sharapova from the US Open, citing a recurrence of the shoulder injury that sidelined her for almost a year.   We wish Ms. Sharapova well in her recuperation.   However, can we say WAG time as I am sure that she will be cheering on her beau on the ATP from the stands and selling her candy while she is at it.

The Spin will be back later today or tomorrow when Master Ace will give a breakdown in the  Spin’s Seed Report.