2012 Year End Review: The women ranked Nos. 41-50

Выложил статью Кронина - часть игроки ТОП 41-50

By Matthew Cronin

We continue a review of the top 50 singles players on the ATP and WTA Tours. Every day for the next 10 days we will look at 10 new players. We continue with the women ranked Nos. 41 -50.

41. Sofia Arvidsson

Considered one of the WTA’s nicest players, Arvidsson has become one of the best female players in Swedish history. She’s a good ball striker who won Memphis, upset Roberta Vinci at Roland Garros and reached the semis of Moscow with a fine win over Maria Kirilenko. Reaching her career high year-end ranking at the age of 28 is something to smile about.

42. Tsvetana Pironkova

The giant killer of Wimbledon is a very tough player to figure out, as she has trouble imposing her funky game on surfaces other than grass. She had Maria Sharapova on the ropes at Wimbledon before collapsing in the third set, but she did play well at the US Open, reaching the fourth round. If the Bulgarian  could keep the ball as low as she does at Wimbledon on other surfaces, she could crack the top 25.

43. Aleksandra Wozniak

The Canadian has done an excellent job of returning from injury, beginning the year ranked No. 107, fighting through qualifying and then playing tough at every tournament, including at her home country tournament in Montreal, where she reached the quarters.  If she can stay healthy in 2013, the big ball striker has a chance to enter the top 30 again.

44. Alize Cornet

The Frenchwoman has such a delightful personality that it’s too bad she’s never really recovered from her 2009 choke to Dinara Safina at the Australian Open. A quick grinder,  she did play very well on clay this year, which helped her grab an Olympic wild card. Cornet seemed to tire at the end of the year though, and if she ever wants to be seeded at a Slam again she’s going to have to schedule smarter.

45, Flavia Pennetta

It was very tough year for the former top 10 player  who was hit with a back injury and then a right wrist injury. The Italians is a gamer but she’s turned 30 and if her wrist doesn’t heal the right way, this could be her last year in the top 50.

46. Lucie Hradecka

The tall and imposing Czech had a more success on  the doubles court, reaching the semis of Madrid  and final of Quebec City, both on lightening fast surfaces, which favor her massive serve.

47. Simona Halep

At 21, the Romanian still has substantial upside if she can get a little more steady  and improve her all around game. She did reach the final of Brussels, but really slid after that, only winning five more matches the rest of the season.

48. Lourdes Dominguez Lino

The scrappy Spaniard managed to stay in the top 50 at the age of 31, scratching out wins here and there, including winning the Marseille Challenger and winning four matches at Beijing. She is a limited player but will likely continue to compete until she can’t hold a racket anymore.

49 Heather Watson

The British 20 year old made major strides, adding a little more offense to her swarming defense and winning her first title at Osaka. At this point, she doesn’t have the weapons of a top 20 player, but she is super determined and may eventually find her way there against all odds.

 50. Anabel Medina Garrigues

The veteran Spaniard had a difficult year battling wit Fed Cup captain Arantxa Sanchez, buts he had a respectable enough lay court season to keep herself inside the top 50. But Medina is fading fast on quicker surfaces and may end up primarily being  a doubles player in a year or two.