WTA Season Review

The time has come. (Pictures and words brought to you free of charge.)

=STUDENT COUNCIL=
CLASS PRESIDENT: Amelie Mauresmo (making nice with history)
VICE PRESIDENT: Justine Henin-Hardenne (currently plotting coup d'etat)
PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE: Maria Sharapova (under certain Scenarios)

CO-VALEDICTORIANS: Lisa Raymond & Samantha Stosur (the Wizards of Dubs)
SALUTATORIAN: Nadia Petrova (boy, that Sharapova casts quite a long Russian shadow)
CLASS TREASURER: Nicole Vaidisova (hoping to be a more "big money" player in '07)
SCHOOL SPIRIT COORDINATORS: Francesca Schiavone, Flavia Pennetta, Mara Santangelo & Roberta Vinci



FACULTY/STUDENT BODY LIASION: Vania King (an American tennis player named King... hmmm, that has a familiar ring -- but can the "other" one carry a tune?)
DEPOSED EX-PRESIDENT: Lindsay Davenport (presumably living on Elba)

Venus Williams, after being upset by Tszvetana Pironkova at the Australian Open: "Obviously, she benefitted from my largesse." (hey, someone's been using that thesaurus she got for her birthday) ... For her part, Pironkova reported that fellow players greeted her with congratulations -- "Well job. Good done," to Pironkova's recollection -- when she arrived in the lockerroom after the match. (Mangled English, yes... but in a cute, say-it-again-Tszvetana sort of way)

=FACULTY & STAFF=
CAMPUS DEAN: Martina Hingis (back from a three-year sabbatical on a Kenyan safari... or something like that)
GUIDANCE COUNSELOR: Svetlana "You're Never Cursed Until You Believe You're Cursed" Kuznetsova
TENURED PROFESSOR: Anna Smashnova (12 out of 13 ain't bad)
(GARBLED) COMMUNICATION DIRECTORS/WEBSITE DESIGNERS: Mr. & Mrs. Patty Schnyder (there's a fine line between deep thought and "just plain cuckoo"... and Patty is from Switzerland, after all)



COMMENCEMENT KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Jelena Jankovic (Speech title: "Let a Smile Be Your Handshake")
YEARBOOK PHOTOGRAPHER/MODEL:

Ana Ivanovic (order your "WTA Girls Gone Wild!" DVD in time for Christmas)

"A mile can be very long, especially if it is a white one." -- Patty Schnyder

=DEPARTMENT HEADS=
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS: Maria Sharapova (the woman, the myth, the empire)
ENGLISH (rotating heads): Anne Keothavong, Melanie South, Sarah Borwell, Jade Curtis, Julia Bone, Linda Blair... um, scratch that last one
FRENCH (-CANADIAN): Stephanie Dubois (merci, Kim)
CHINESE: Zi Yan & Jie Zheng (strength in numbers)
DRAMATIC ARTS: Serena Williams (actor/ambassador/sister/daughter... player?)
MUSIC: Vania King (your "American Idol")
POLITICAL/SOCIAL SCIENCES: Martina Navratilova (class starts promptly at 8 a.m., with field trips to Prague occurring every 20 years)
PSYCHOLOGY: Nadia Petrova (author of the runaway 2005-06 bestseller, "Success Breeds More Success")
(POP) PSYCHIATRY: Dinara Safina (whacky blood is thicker than whacky water... or vodka, in this case)
VETERINARY SCIENCE: Kim Clijsters (when she's not tripping over Diesel)
SCHOOL OF "FASHION": Bethanie Mattek (when too much is never enough)



SCIENCE (of working with others): Francesca Schiavone (3 doubles titles, 1 Fed Cup title, 0 singles titles)
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (and hard knocks): Mary Pierce (recently reinstated)
FITNESS AND HEALTH: Martina Navratilova (from the womb to the tomb)
PART-TIME SHEILA OF ALL TRADES: Alicia Molik (available for volley and tango lessons)



NUTRITION: Maria Sharapova (bananas are good for you, and a nice source of-



...umm, where was I? Oh, yeah -- bananas taste good.)

WORLD RELIGIONS/SOFT DRINK ADVERTISING: Sania Mirza



HISTORY: Conchita Martinez (Miss Sanchez Vicario is on vacation)
PHYSICS (of time travel): Daniela Hantuchova (travel back to the age of wine, roses and Tier I finals... 2002)
SOCIAL WORK: Chanda Rubin (unlike some, she doesn't practically beg for her halo)
RETIREMENT PLANNING: Monica Seles, Jennifer Capriati (coming soon: Lindsay Davenport, Mary Pierce & Kim Clijsters)
TRAVELLING AMBASSADOR: Serena Williams (U.N. approved... and 99/100th's percent pure)
SEX ED: Sesil Karatantcheva (today's lecture topic: "When Teenage Pregnancy is Considered Your Best Option... you know you're in deep trouble")

"I believe, at the end of the day, personally, my life is not about a banana. It's not about what I wear. It's not about the friends that I have. My career right now is about winning a tennis match. And right now, I'm sitting here as a U.S. Open champion, and the last thing I think people need to worry about is a banana." - Maria Sharapova

=JUNIOR/SENIOR PROM COMMITTEE=
PROM QUEEN: Nicole Vaidisova


LADY-IN-WAITING: Anna Chakvetadze
JUNIOR QUEEN: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
QUEEN'S COURT: Shahar Peer, Tatiana Golovin, Michaella Krajicek, Olga Poutchkova, Anna-Lena Groenefeld, Jamea Jackson, Tszvetana Pironkova, Elena Vesnina, Kaia Kanepi
JUNIOR QUEEN'S COURT: Victoria Azarenka, Jarmila Gajdosova, Viktoriya Kutuzova, Aleksandra Wozniak, Timea Bacsinszky, Yung-Jan Chan, Raluca Olaru, Urszula Radwanska, Aravane Rezai, Mihaela Buzarnescu, Magdalena Rybarikova, Chelsey Gullickson
PARTY-CRASHERS: Marion Bartoli, Vania King, Tamira Paszek, Sofia Arvidsson
TROPHY DECORATING COMMITTEE: Mara Santangelo, Lourdes Dominguez-Lino, Tiantian Sun
HEARTBREAKER (of unsuspecting highly-ranked players): Agnieszka Radwanska
RULEBREAKER: Caroline Wozniacki (U.S. Open Jr. ejectee)
FALLEN (INDIAN) PRINCESS: Sania Mirza
REFRESHMENT COMMITTEE SUPERVISOR: Yuri Sharapov (a batch of bananas in every pot)
FACULTY ADVISORS: Lisa Raymond, Meghann Shaughnessy, Cara Black, Rennae Stubbs, Nicole Pratt, Severine Bremond

"Shocking. You feel like you're in the middle of a circus, not a tennis tournament." - Alicia Molik, complaining of Tina Turner music, generators and blow dryers from a nearby court, planes overhead, a tennis clinic with cheering, and burning hot dogs from a vendor all interrupting her during her U.S. Open 1st Round match. By the way, in case you couldn't tell, she lost.

=CLASS FAVORITES=
MOST WELL-LIKED: Kim Clijsters (mine is not to wonder why, but is just to scoff and deny)
SEXIEST S.I. SWIMSUIT MODEL:
(circa 1997) Steffi Graf...(circa 2002) Anna Kournikova

(circa 2004) Serena Williams...(circa 2006) Maria Sharapova


MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED: Nicole Vaidisova
HOTTEST "HOTTIE": Ana Ivanovic (according to a Tennis Channel "scientific" poll)
PERSONALITY PLUS: Justine Henin-Hardenne
PERSONALITY MINUS: Justine Henin-Hardenne
QUIETEST:
(Top 10) Patty Schnyder (the only Top 10er without a 2006 title)
(Top 20) Marion Bartoli (Poutchkova is surprised she hasn't won a grand slam?)
(Top 50) Martina Muller (one Martina exits, another knocks on the door)
MOST ADMIRED: (speaking of...) Martina Navratilova

"Some understand and some don't. You can't make people like you." - Justine Henin-Hardenne

=RUSSIAN ROUND TABLE=
LEADING LADY: Maria Sharapova
UNDERSTUDY: Anna Chakvetadze
THE NEXT BIG THING?:

...if a personal, photo-filled website means big-time success is right around then corner, then Olga has her bases covered.
MAYBE NOT THE NEXT BIG THING: Maria Kirilenko & Vera Dushevina
CROSSROADS: Anastasia Myskina
CURSE-REVERSER: Svetlana Kuznetsova
RESURRECTION PROJECT: Vera Zvonareva
M.I.A.: Evgenia Linetskaya
BEST YOGA AFICIONADO: Elena Bovina (if you haven't seen the Tennis Channel "No Strings" episode starring Bovina... well, you should)
BEST SISTER (still and, in many ways, more than ever): Dinara Safina
VETERAN: Elena Dementieva (easing into the latter half of her career with elan, even if it's sans an improved serve)
NAKEDEST RUSSIAN: (circa 2003) Anastasia Myskina... (circa 2006) Maria Sharapova


ITF PRINCESSES: Olga Poutchkova & Vasilisa Bardina
NextGEN HORDETTE: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova

Elena Dementieva, on the use of male models as ball boys during the YEC: "I don't think they really know what they have to do on the court because they are too busy watching the players." ... As far as Justine Henin-Hardenne was concerned: "I'm very excited, but I'm married, so I can look but not touch."

=HONORS SOCIETY ROLL CALL=
HARD COURT PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Maria Sharapova
CLAY COURT PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Nadia Petrova
GRASS COURT PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Amelie Mauresmo
INDOOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Maria Sharapova
FED CUP PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Francesca Schiavone

TOUR CREATOR (1970's): Billie Jean King
TOUR STAR(1970's/1980's): Chris Evert

OUT STAR: Billie Jean King
STAR CALLER-OUTER: Chris Evert (Chrissie-to-Serena: "Rededicate.")
COMPLEX NAME-TAKER (2006): USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (20 years late)
NextGEN AMERICAN STARS ACADEMY POD (2007 & beyond): Evert Academy, new HQ of USTA Player Development Program (10 years late)

MEANT EVERYTHING THEN: Amelie Mauresmo wins 2005 YEC
STILL MEANT EVERYTHING LATER: Mauresmo wins Australian Open & Wimbledon in 2006
MEANT SOMETHING THEN: Kim Clijsters wins 2005 U.S. Open
MEANT NOTHING LATER: Clijsters wins no major titles in 2006
SEEMED TO MEAN SOMETHING THEN, BUT DIDN'T: Jelena Dokic wins Australian Open wild card playoff tournament

MOST SIMILAR GAMES (and career trajectories?): Jelena Dokic & Sania Mirza
MOST SIMILAR VERSIONS OF SAME GAME: Martina Hingis & Anna Chakvetadze
MOST DISSIMILAR VERSIONS OF SAME GAME: Anna-Lena Groenefeld on hard courts (bad)... Anna-Lena Groenefeld on every other surface (pretty good). Only ALG and her pillow know the truth.

THE MORE THINGS CHANGE: 1999 Wimbledon QF - Alexandra Stevenson def. Jelena Dokic
THE MORE THEY STAY THE SAME: 2006 Wimbledon Qualifying 1st Round - Alexandra Stevenson def. Jelena Dokic

WITH NAVRATILOVA: We marvel at Martina winning a grand slam Mixed title one month before her 50th birthday
WITHOUT NAVRATILOVA: We marvel at the longevity of the career of Nicole Pratt (yeah, it just doesn't have the same ring to it, huh?)

NO HOPE: Indonesia refused to play Israel in Fed Cup action
HOPE: Sania Mirza hopes to again play doubles with Shahar Peer

=SESIL... IN EXILE=

EXQUISITE IN THE CITY: Maria Sharapova in NYC
STUCK IN A HOTEL ROOM IN THE CITY, version 1.0: Sesil Karatantcheva... who's she being stuck by? (but, hey, at least she enjoyed it)
STUCK IN A HOTEL ROOM IN THE CITY, version 2.0: Sesil Karatantcheva... what's she being stuck with? (it wasn't worth it)

DIDN'T YOU USED TO BE THE UP-AND-COMING BULGARGIAN STAR WHO BEAT VENUS?: Sesil Karatantcheva
AREN'T YOU THE NEW UP-AND-COMING BULGARIAN STAR WHO BEAT VENUS?: Tszvetana Pironkova

2005 SESIL MYSTERY: Who can resist her?
2006 SESIL MYSTERY SOLVED: Apparently, no one (version 1.0)... or the entire WTA Tour (version 2.0)

Don't worry, Sesil... Backspin still luvs ya. See you in 2008.

=ALL-BACKSPIN TEAMS=
AMERICANAS FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH?: Vania King, Jamea Jackson, Shenay Perry, Lauren Albanese, Alexa Glatch, Madison Brengle, Chelsey Gullickson, Stacey Tan
CANUCK PRIDE: Aleksandra Wozniak, Stephanie Dubois, Sharon Fichman

ALL-BEAUTIFUL
...Sharapova's little black dress

...Adidas blue-and-black (is it a coincidence that Henin-Hardenne, Petrova & Chakvetadze combined for 13 titles, including 3 Tier I's and a slam, in the ever-present-but-you-still-don't-hate-it color scheme?)

...Bethanie Mattek's ability to generate headlines without striking a ball
...Brenda Schultz-McCarthy's new/old serve
...Kim Clijsters not being able to win Hassselt in '07 (there won't be a tournament taking place)

ALL-UGLY
...MORE on-court coaching in' 07? (gimme a break -- give it a rest!)
...the Justine Henin-Hardenne Haters Society (JHHHS)
...Katerina Bohmova and her mother's shoplifting charges
...Bethanie Mattek's 1970's boardwalk rollerskater look at SW19, and living room curtains and leg warmers combo at Flushing Meadows


TRANSPARENT KIM CLIJSTERS ATTEMPTS TO PERPETUATE HER HALO (or, DESPERATE PLANS, SELF-SERVING COMMENTS, AND SIMPLE STUPIDITY)
...February: Kim says Mauresmo should be #1 (this was when Clijsters was still at the top of the rankings, mind you)
...February: Kim provides 20,000 bottles of champagne for Antwerp attendees (in light of JHH's crucifixion scenario, "Tweety" Kim polishes off her halo)

...August: Kim plays on in Montreal despite an injured wrist, only to fall on it and miss two months (including her U.S. Open title defense, and Fed Cup final)
...October: Kim, a week before her return to the court, bruises her tailbone falling over her dog Diesel while kicking a soccer ball in the garden with her fiance
...Beijing 2008: Kim has refused an Olympic invitation (no matter, she skipped Athens '04 because the Belgian team wasn't going to be wearing uniforms provided by Fila)
...oh, and just a note -- Kim retired in Melbourne against Mauresmo, too

ALL-MYSTERY (single entry)

...reason for "pigeon plot" against Mashona Washington. The American led Maria Sharapova 5-3 in the 3rd set and held a second match point in their 1st Round meeting at Roland Garros when the pigeons interrupted play and landed in the service box. Washington soon lost her lead, and the match. Sharapova went on to blow a 5-1 3rd set lead against Dinara Safina a few matches later. Mission accomplished... whatever it was. (Hmmm, what is it about "accomplished" missions that seem to have no point?)

ALL-ITF
Olga Poutchkova, Sandra Martinovic, Anne Schaefer, Bettina Jorami, Jarmila Gajdosova, Martina Muller, Romina Oprandi, Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, Jorgelina Cravero, Shuai Zhang, Ankita Bhambri, Yung-Jan Chan, Angelique Kerber

ALL-UNDERRATED: Anabel Medina-Garrigues, Jie Zheng, Katarina Srebotnik, Virginia Ruano-Pascual, Cara Black, Julia Vakulenko

=YEARBOOK GRAFFITI=
"Sometimes a banana is just a banana. Just ask Rafa." - Maria
"And sometimes it's not" - Wimbledon streaker


"Thanks for the Pepto" - Justine
"No matter what you say about me, I'd never say anything mean about you" - Kim

...sure, Kim. Whatever you say.

=ALL BACKSPIN WANTS FOR CHRISTMAS=
1. Finally, a first Sharapova vs. Vaidisova matchup in '07
2. For Justine to wear all black -- including the hat, especially the hat (if she's going to be cast as the villain, why not look the part?)
3. A piece of next year's "Bon Voyage, Kim" cake
4. A Gullickson-Gullickson all-"Natural" team in doubles... with no reliever in sight
5. Maria Sharapova in a Carmen Miranda outfit

6. Venus & Serena to kick around (or embrace, if the moment is right) again
7. Another go around in the spotlight for Sania
8. A stadium/court named for Navratilova... somewhere, then in every tennis-playing country (call it the "Ronald Reagan treatment")
9. A tennis star on the American version of "Dancing with the Stars" (Anna, do you have a few spare months? How about you, Martina?)
10. Instant replay... everywhere, at any time, as many times as necessary

"This is the last match. This is definite. Not allegedly. This is a closed chapter. It's past midnight. It's past my bedtime." - Martina Navratilova

Res Ipsa Loquitur. All for now.

(See you next month!)



PAST YEARBOOKS: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005.

2006 SEASON REVIEW EDITIONS OF BACKSPIN:
....Revolving Doors
....Intriguing Answers: A Swiss Miss, a Near-Miss & a Big Hit
....How Smart We Were, How Dumb We Were
....Intriguing Answers: Maria the Bear
....Intriguing Answers: A Tale of Two Champions
...2006 Backspin Awards
...Miss Backspin '06

Read more...

WTA Player of the Year

To say that this year's "Miss Backspin" title should have a French twist -- Madame or Mademoiselle -- wouldn't in any way give away the name of 2006's Player of the Year, other than revealing that she's not a certain lanky blonde from Siberia.

Thus, the countdown begins:

10. Nicole Vaidisova
9. Kim Clijsters
8. Svetlana Kuznetsova
7. Martina Hingis

...Dynamova Vaidisova finally broke out in Paris, upsetting Amelie Mauresmo and reaching the Roland Garros SF. Sure, she squandered a lead there and missed out on her first grand slam final (it was something of a trend with her, considering her 1-6 record in semifinals in '06), but she ultimately held onto her Top 10 singles ranking by a single point over Dinara Safina (1191 to 1190). Clijsters didn't follow up her '05 U.S. Open crown with a flash of realization about what she could still accomplish in her career. Instead, injuries (including her wrist, again), bad decisions (Montreal) and failures to grab another major title dominated what she continues to maintain will be the penultimate season of her career. Kuznetsova put that '05 slump (Curse?) out of its misery, reached the final of RG and dominated for short stretches during a season in which she regained her Top 5 ranking. Hingis returned from her three-year retirement/sabbatical and immediately became a force on tour, reaching the Australian Open quarterfinals. Over the course of the season, she continued to be troubled by Top 10ers (5-12), but won two titles (one a Tier I) and exceeded all January expectations by returning to the Top 10.

6. Italian Fed Cup team
5. Lisa Raymond/Samantha Stosur
4. Nadia Petrova
3. Maria Sharapova

...Francesca Schiavone, Flavia Pennetta, Mara Santangelo and Roberta Vinci turned Italy's early '06 singles success into a team triumph, upsetting France early and then later outlasting Belgium in the final to claim a surprise Fed Cup championship. Raymond/Stosur wasn't a dominant doubles tandem in the tradition of Navratilova/Shriver in days of yore, but the doubles co-#1's won ten titles, four Tier I's, Roland Garros and the YEC. Not too shabby. Petrova's best slam result was a QF in Melbourne (after being hurt before RG, she missed Wimbledon altogether), but she dominated the pre-Paris tour on the clay, was briefly the top-ranked Russian and won five singles titles after not claiming her career's first until late in '05. Sharapova built her strength and improved her game with each passing month of '06, seeing it pay dividends as she was the top player during the last half of the season (winning the U.S. Open, and 19 consecutive matches). She'll go into '07 as everyone's favorite to emerge as the game's top player by season's end.



2. Justine Henin-Hardenne
1. Amelie Mauresmo

...you never know what the theme of a particular season will be when the first ball is served up in January (just look at every other prediction made here eleven months ago). 2006, as far as Backspin was concerned, turned out to pivot on the continuing defense of Le Petit Taureau, and Mauresmo's placing of her career into a proper context for history.

Sharapova dominated the last half of the year, but Mauresmo and Henin-Hardenne were the stories of the season. Their individual highs and lows often ran in parallel. They won three of the four slam titles, meeting in the finals of two of them (Mauresmo won both, the first after JHH retired in Melbourne) before wrapping up their seasons in yet another major final in Madrid as Henin-Hardenne managed some vindication with a YEC title and year-end #1 ranking.

In five years, though, the 2006 season will not be looked back upon as the season Henin-Hardenne reached all four slam finals and finished up on top. As great as her accomplishments were, 2006 will be known as the year Mauresmo won two slams. Justine is the best in the world, but this was Amelie's year.

She is Mademoiselle Backspin.


*BACKSPIN 2006 MONTHLY TOP PLAYERS*
JANUARY: Amelie Mauresmo
FEBRUARY: Amelie Mauresmo
MARCH: Svetlana Kuznetsova
[1Q: Amelie Mauresmo]
APRIL: Nadia Petrova
MAY: Nadia Petrova
JUNE/ROLAND GARROS: Justine Henin-Hardenne
JULY/WIMBLEDON: Amelie Mauresmo
[2Q/clay: Justine Henin-Hardenne]
[2Q/grass: Amelie Mauresmo]
JULY(3Q): Kim Clijsters
AUGUST: Maria Sharapova
SEPTEMBER/U.S.: Maria Sharapova
[3Q: Maria Sharapova]
SEPTEMBER(4Q): Svetlana Kuznetsova
OCTOBER: Maria Sharapova
NOVEMBER: Justine Henin-Hardenne
[4Q: Maria Sharapova]
2006: Amelie Mauresmo

*PAST "MISS BACKSPIN" WINNERS*
2001 Jennifer Capriati
2002 Serena Williams
2003 Justine Henin-Hardenne
2004 Maria Sharapova
2005 Kim Clijsters


*TOP 20 BY AGE*
27...Patty Schnyder
27...Amelie Mauresmo
26...Francesca Schiavone
26...Martina Hingis
25...Anastasia Myskina
25...Elena Dementieva
24...Justine Henin-Hardenne
24...Nadia Petrova
23...Daniela Hantuchova
23...Kim Clijsters
22...Marion Bartoli
21...Jelena Jankovic
21...Svetlana Kuznetsova
21...Anna-Lena Groenefeld
20...Dinara Safina
19...Anna Chakvetadze
19...Maria Sharapova
19...Shahar Peer
19...Ana Ivanovic
17...Nicole Vaidisova

*TOP 20 BY NATION*
7...Russia
2...Belgium
2...France
2...Serbia
2...Switzerland
1...Czech Republic
1...Germany
1...Israel
1...Italy
1...Slovakia

*TOP 20 BY CAREER TITLES*
42...Martina Hingis
33...Kim Clijsters
29...Justine Henin-Hardenne
23...Amelie Mauresmo
15...Maria Sharapova
10...Anastasia Myskina
10...Patty Schnyder
8.....Svetlana Kuznetsova
6.....Elena Dementieva
6.....Nadia Petrova
6.....Nicole Vaidisova
4.....Dinara Safina
3.....Marion Bartoli
3.....Shahar Peer
2.....Anna Chakvetadze
2.....Ana Ivanovic
1.....Anna-Lena Groenefeld
1.....Daniela Hantchova
1.....Jelena Jankovic
0.....Francesca Schiavone

*TOP 100 BY NATION*
16...Russia
11...USA
10...France
6.....Italy
4.....China
4.....Czech Republic
4.....Germany
4.....Spain
3.....Japan
3.....Slovakia
3.....Ukraine
2.....Australia
2.....Belarus
2.....Belgium
2.....Croatia
2.....Israel
2.....Poland
2.....Serbia
2.....Switzerland
1.....Argentina
1.....Austria
1.....Bulgaria
1.....Canada
1.....Colombia
1.....Estonia
1.....Finland
1.....Greece
1.....Hungary
1.....India
1.....Netherlands
1.....Slovenia
1.....Sweden
1.....Taiwan
1.....Thailand
1.....Uzbekistan

*REGIONAL RANKINGS*
==EUROPE==
#1 Justine Henin-Hardenne (BEL)
#2 Maria Sharapova (RUS)
#3 Amelie Mauresmo (FRA)
#4 Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)
#5 Kim Clijsters (BEL)
#6 Nadia Petrova (RUS)
#7 Martina Hingis (SUI)
#8 Elena Dementieva (RUS)
#9 Patty Schnyder (SUI)
#10 Nicole Vaidisova (CZE)
==ASIA/PACIFIC==
#21 Na Li (CHN)
#26 Ai Sugiyama (JPN)
#29 Samantha Stosur (AUS)
#33 Jie Zheng (CHN)
#56 Shuai Peng (CHN)
#59 Aiko Nakamura (JPN)
#66 Sania Mirza (IND)
#75 Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA)
#78 Nicole Pratt (AUS)
#81 Tiantian Sun (CHN)
==SOUTH AMERICA/ATLANTIC==
#55 Catalina Castano (COL)
#61 Gisela Dulko (ARG)
#101 Milagros Sequera (VEN)
#115 Clarisa Fernandez (ARG)
#136 Jorgelina Cravero (ARG)
#171 Kristina Brandi (PUR)
#179 Paola Suarez (ARG)
#187 Mariana Diaz Oliva (ARG)
#205 Maria Jose Argeri (ARG)
#210 Jenifer Widjaja (BRA)
#217 Maria-Emilia Salerni (ARG)
==NORTH AMERICA==
#25 Lindsay Davenport (USA)
#37 Meghann Shaughnessy (USA)
#43 Shenay Perry (USA)
#45 Jamea Jackson (USA)
#48 Venus Williams (USA)
#50 Vania King (USA)
#70 Laura Granville (USA)
#73 Jill Craybas (USA)
#86 Ashley Harkleroad (USA)
#89 Meilen Tu (USA)
==AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST==
#20 Shahar Peer (ISR)
#65 Anna Smashnova (ISR)
#110 Tzipora Obziler (ISR)
#199 Yevgenia Savransky (ISR)
#248 Nathalie Grandin (RSA)
#284 Cara Black (ZIM)

*NATION RANKINGS*
==RUSSIANS IN TOP 100==
#2 Maria Sharapova
#4 Svetlana Kuznetsova
#6 Nadia Petrova
#8 Elena Dementieva
#11 Dinara Safina
#13 Anna Chakvetadze
#16 Anastasia Myskina
#24 Vera Zvonareva
#30 Maria Kirilenko
#38 Olga Poutchkova
#42 Elena Likhovtseva
#44 Elena Vesnina
#72 Ekaterina Bychkova
#74 Vasilisa Bardina
#82 Anastassia Rodionova
#97 Vera Dushevina
==CHINA==
#21 Na Li
#33 Jie Zheng
#56 Shuai Peng
#81 Tiantian Sun
#112 Meng Yuan
#166 Zi Yan
#188 Yanchong Chen
#200 Shuai Zhang
#244 Yanze Xie
#252 Shengnan Sun
==CZECH REPUBLIC==
#10 Nicole Vaidisova
#41 Lucie Safarova
#60 Iveta Benesova
#80 Eva Birnerova
#108 Zuzana Ondraskova
#119 Hana Sromova
#125 Klara Zakopalova
#133 Kveta Peschke
#145 Katerina Bohmova
#154 Sandra Zahlavova
==ITALY==
#15 Francesca Schiavone
#28 Flavia Pennetta
#31 Mara Santangelo
#40 Tathiana Garbin
#46 Romina Oprandi
#54 Maria Elena Camerin
#102 Roberta Vinci
#106 Alberta Brianti
#123 Karin Knapp
#171 Sara Errani
==FRANCE==
#3 Amelie Mauresmo
#17 Marion Bartoli
#22 Tatiana Golovin
#39 Severine Bremond
#49 Aravane Rezai
#51 Nathalie Dechy
#58 Emilie Loit
#76 Camille Pin
#79 Mary Pierce
#87 Virginie Razzano
==SPAIN==
#27 Anabel Medina-Garrigues
#52 Lourdes Dominguez Lino
#67 Virginia Ruano-Pascual
#98 Laura Pous Tio
#109 Maria Jose Sanchez Martinez
#137 Maria Sanchez-Lorenzo
#139 Conchita Martinez Grenados
#173 Arantxa Parra-Santonja
#243 Estrella Cabeza Candela
#273 Nuria Llagostera-Vives
==UKRAINE==
#32 Alona Bondarenko
#68 Yuliana Fedak
#99 Olga Savchuk
#107 Viktoriya Kutuzova
#108 Kateryna Bondarenko
#120 Julia Vakulenko
==GERMANY==
#19 Anna-Lena Groenefeld
#34 Martina Muller
#83 Julia Schruff
#100 Sandra Kloesel
#124 Kristina Barrois
==SLOVAKIA==
#18 Daniela Hantuchova
#71 Jarmila Gajdosova
#84 Martina Sucha
#156 Dominika Cibulkova
#201 Henrieta Nagyova
==CANADA==
#91 Aleksandra Wozniak
#134 Stephanie Dubois
#239 Valerie Tetreault
#256 Marie-Eve Pelletier
#371 Sharon Fichman
==AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND==
#29 Samantha Stosur (AUS)
#78 Nicole Pratt (AUS)
#160 Marina Erakovic (NZL)
#163 Alicia Molik (AUS)
#172 Casey Dellacqua (AUS)
==CROATIA==
#47 Jelena Kostanic
#88 Karolina Sprem
#144 Ivana Lisjak
#152 Ivana Abramovic
#180 Sanja Ancic
==ROMANIA==
#111 Edina Gallovits
#19 Anda Perianu
#161 Simona Matti
#196 Madalina Gojnea
#222 Monica Niculescu

*2006 WEEKS...*
[of 45 weeks]
==IN TOP 10==
45...Justine Henin-Hardenne (#1)
45...Maria Sharapova (#2)
45...Amelie Mauresmo (#3)
45...Kim Clijsters (#5)
45...Nadia Petrova (#6)
45...Elena Dementieva (#8)
45...Patty Schnyder (#9)
33...Svetlana Kuznetsova (#4)
32...Lindsay Davenport (#25)
30...Mary Pierce (#79)
13...Martina Hingis (#7)
12...Venus Williams (#48)
11...Nicole Vaidisova (#10)
10...Dinara Safina (#11)
==IN TOP 20==
45...Justine Henin-Hardenne (#1)
45...Maria Sharapova (#2)
45...Amelie Mauresmo (#3)
45...Svetlana Kuznetsova (#4)
45...Kim Clijsters (#5)
45...Nadia Petrova (#6)
45...Elena Dementieva (#8)
45...Patty Schnyder (#9)
45...Nicole Vaidisova (#10)
45...Francesca Schiavone (#15)
45...Anastasia Myskian (#16)
44...Lindsay Davenport (#25)
43...Dinara Safina (#11)
43...Daniela Hantuchova (#18)
40...Mary Pierce (#79)
38...Anna-Lena Groenefeld (#19)
37...Flavia Pennetta (#28)
35...Ana Ivanovic (#14)
26...Martina Hingis (#7)
26...Venus Williams (#48)
22...Elena Likhovtseva (#42)
13...Jelena Jankovic (#12)
9,...Nathalie Dechy (#51)
6....Marion Bartoli (#17)
5....Anna Chakvetadze (#13)
5....Na Li (#21)
4....Ai Sugiyama (#26)
4....Maria Kirilenko (#30)
3....Serena Williams (#95)
1....Shahar Peer (#20)
1....Katarina Srebotnik (#23)

*ALL-TIME WEEKS AT #1*
377...Steffi Graf
331...Martina Navratilova
262...Chris Evert
209...Martina Hingis
178...Monica Seles
98....Lindsay Davenport
57....Serena Williams
46...Justine Henin-Hardenne (+7 to end '06)
39....Amelie Mauresmo
22....Tracy Austin
19....Kim Clijsters
17....Jennifer Capriati
12....Arantxa Sanchez Vicario
11....Venus Williams
7.....Maria Sharapova

*BIGGEST RISES IN THE RANKINGS*
=end of '05 to end of '06=
[in 2006 Top 25]
+36...Na Li (#57 to #21)
+25...Shahar Peer (#45 to #20)
+23...Marion Bartoli (#40 to #17)
+20...Anna Chakvetadze (#33 to #13)
+18...Vera Zvonareva (#42 to #24)
+14...Svetlana Kuznetsova (#18 to #4)
+10...Jelena Jankovic (#22 to #12)
NR....Martina Hingis (NR to #7)
[2006 Top 26-50]
+194...Romina Oprandi (#240 to #46)
+159...Olga Poutchkova (#197 to #38)
+152...Vania King (#202 to #50)
+140...Aravane Rezai (#189 to #49)
+75....Martina Muller (#109 to #34)
+69....Shenay Perry (#112 to #43)
+67....Elena Vesnina (#111 to #44)
+63....Severine Bremond (#102 to #39)
+54....Mara Santangelo (#85 to #31)
+52....Jelena Kostanic (#99 to #47)
[2006 Top 51-100]
+324...Agnieszka Radwanska (#381 to #57)
+174...Vasilisa Bardina (#248 to #74)
+123...Yung-Jan Chan (#219 to #96)
+99....Aleksandra Wozniak (#190 to #91)
+85....Anastassia Rodionova (#167 to #82)
+74....Jarmila Gajdosova (#145 to #71)
+69....Yuliana Fedak (#137 to #68)
+63....Olga Savchuk (#162 to #99)
+57....Tamarine Tanasugarn (#132 to #75)
+56....Kaia Kanepi (#120 to #64)

+54....Victoria Azarenka (#146 to #92)

*BIGGEST FALLS IN THE RANKINGS*
=end of '05 to end of '06=
[2005 Top 25]
-84...Serena Williams (#11 to #95)
-74...Mary Pierce (#5 to #79)
-39...Nathalie Dechy (#12 to #51)
-38...Venus Williams (#10 to #48)
-25...Elena Likhovtseva (#17 to #42)
-24...Lindsay Davenport (#1 to #25)
[2005 Top 50]
-224...Nuria Llagostera-Vives (#49 to #273)
-134...Alicia Molik (#29 to #163)
-107...Kveta Peschke (#26 to #133)
-89....Klara Zakopalova (#36 to #125)
-61....Roberta Vinci (#41 to #102)
-58....Vera Dushevina (#39 to #97)
-35....Sania Mirza (#31 to #66)
-34....Gisela Dulko (#27 to #61)
-22....Anna Smashnova (#43 to #65)
--
Retired: #32 Conchita Martinez, #38 Shinobu Asagoe
Suspended: #35 Sesil Karatantcheva


All for now.

============================


2006 SEASON REVIEW EDITIONS OF WTA BACKSPIN:
....Revolving Doors
....Intriguing Answers: A Swiss Miss, a Near-Miss & a Big Hit
....How Smart We Were, How Dumb We Were
....Intriguing Answers: Maria the Bear
....Intriguing Answers: A Tale of Two Champions
...2006 Backspin Awards

NEXT WEEK:
....2006 WTA Yearbook

Read more...

Wk.45- A Final Poke in the Eye of Convention

Is this what vindication looks like?



Certainly while watching Justine Henin-Hardenne return from a two-month layoff to grit her way to her first WTA Championship title, knocking off a previously streaking Maria Sharapova in the SF and finally besting Amelie Mauresmo in a major '06 final, you got the feeling that Le Petit Taureau believed she had something to prove.

Maybe she did, too. At least to herself.

JHH didn't know precisely what to expect from her still recuperating (as that funky calf bandage reminded everyone) body when she arrived in Spain. But by becoming the first woman since Steffi Graf in 1993 (and only the fifth ever) to reach the finals of all four slams and the YEC in a single season (remember, she was also in the Fed Cup final) and claiming the year-end #1 ranking for the first time since 2003, JHH managed to not only answer any of the lingering questions she may have had about herself in Madrid... but also find a measure of vindication after all the abuse she took in '06, beginning with the unruly uproar over her retirement in the Australian Open final all the way back in January. Now, she's only a Wimbledon title (she's been RU twice) away from becoming the only player who's not the mom or dad of Jaden and Jaz Agassi to claim all four slams, the YEC and an Olympic singles Gold Medal in a career.

Hmmm, goals are good... even for someone who's already accomplished so much.




WTA CHAMPIONSHIPS; MADRID, SPAIN (HI)
S: Justine Henin-Hardenne d. Amelie Mauresmo 6-4/6-3
D: Raymond/Stosur d. Black/Stubbs
=============================


PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Justine Henin-Hardenne
...after missing the YEC the past two years due to injury/illness, JHH made a triumphant return, winning her tour-leading sixth title of the season. Maybe most impressively, she handled Maria Sharapova in straight sets in the SF.
=============================
RISERS: Samantha Stosur & Nadia Petrova
...Stosur defended the YEC Doubles title she won with Lisa Raymond a year ago, giving the team ten titles on the season. Now Slingin' Sammy can work on getting that (2007 prediction alert!) first tour singles title next year. After opening with a dominating win over Mauresmo in Madrid, Petrova failed to reach the SF, but the entire experience has to be looked upon as a celebration of a career year that could actually be improved upon in '07 if she can put together the deep run in a slam that eluded her this year.
=============================
SURPRISE: Jelena Dokic
...before this weekend, Dokic hadn't reached the SF of an actual event since February '04 in Tokyo. She finally did it again in Ismaning, Germany. Sure, Tokyo was a Tier I and this was a $10K challenger, but still.
=============================
VETERAN: Lisa Raymond
...the YEC Doubles co-champ was the only American amongst the sixteen women assembled for singles & doubles action in Madrid. Hey, one-for-one! In the words of Borat, "High five!"
=============================
FRESH FACES: Aleksandra Wozniak and Raluca Olaru
...Canadian teen Wozniak followed up her Quebec City QF with a great week in the Pittsburgh $75K, winning the title when Victoria Azarenka retired in the final. Before that, though, she got wins over Laura Granville, Bethanie Mattek, Ashley Harkleroad and Olga Poutchkova (3-6/7-5/7-5 in the QF). In Toronto, Romanian Olaru knocked off another Quebec City star, doubles champ Carly Gullickson, in the final of the $25K challenger.
=============================
DOWN: Svetlana Kuznetsova
...considering all her Spanish connections, one would have expected the Contessova to be a bit more on top of things in Madrid. After an opening Round Robin win over Elena Dementieva, she failed to get a single set off either Kim Clijsters or Maria Sharapova.
=============================

And additionally...
kudos to Serena Williams, who'll soon take off for a 5-day trip to Senegal, where she'll hold tennis clinics at the invitation of the U.N. Office of Sport for Development and Peace. The invitation was offered after Williams attended the U.N.'s first Global Youth Leadership Summit in New York last week. In the words of Borat... nah, one reference is enough.


1. YEC SF - JHH d. Sharapova
...6-2/7-6. Sharapova's 19-match winning streak is abruptly halted. Wither the Sharapova Scenario? At least for now.
=============================
2. YEC F - JHH d. Mauresmo
...6-4/6-3. Henin-Hardenne appeared in the finals of her last seven events, going back to May (eight if you count the Fed Cup).
=============================
3. YEC Doubles F - Raymond/Stosur d. Black/Stubbs

...3-6/6-3/6-3. Black has been part of the YEC Doubles RU five of the last six years, including the last three with Stubbs.
=============================
4. YEC SF - Mauresmo d. Clijsters
...6-2/3-6/6-3. What a great result for Mauresmo after her poor and injury-hampered last half of the season. Just to have a shot to defend her '05 YEC title was quite an accomplishment... and that she fought to get that shot might say a great deal about her "year-after" prospects in '07.
=============================
5. YEC RR - JHH d. Hingis
...6-2/6-7/6-1. Henin-Hardenne had some trouble closing out her matches in the early-going in Madrid, as her blown 6-2/5-2 lead here attests.
=============================
6. YEC RR - Petrova d. Mauresmo
...6-2/6-2. Mauresmo rebounded from her listless opening performance in Madrid. She seemed truly ticked off about it, too... which could explain what she did the rest of the tournament. Again, that might be a good sign for '07.
=============================
7. YEC RR - Mauresmo d. Hingis
...3-6/6-1/6-4. It turned out to be a SF-or-bust match, and Hingis wasn't quite up to the task.
=============================
8. YEC RR - Mauresmo d. JHH
...4-6/7-6/6-2. Henin-Hardenne lost here, but after she won the rematch in the final she talked about how much confidence she gained from getting so close. Too bad she didn't get "second chances" in Melbourne and SW19, as well, huh?
=============================
9. Manila $10K F - Tan d. Vijuksanaboon
...Stacey Tan, a 15-year old American, won her first career title in the relative obcurity of this little $10K.
=============================
10. Pittsburgh $75K F - Wozniak d. Azarenka
...6-2,ret. In 2007, though, Azarenka is going to be right at the top of all the "Potential Breakout Star" lists.
=============================


*WEEKS AS SINGLES #1*
[of 45]
34...Amelie Mauresmo
7....Kim Clijsters
3....Lindsay Davenport
1....Justine Henin-Hardenne

*WEEKS AS DOUBLES #1*
[of 45]
22...Samantha Stosur
19...Lisa Raymond/Samantha Stosur (co-#1's)
4....Cara Black

*MULTIPLE 2006 WTA TITLES*
6...Justine Henin-Hardenne
5...Maria Sharapova
5...Nadia Petrova
4...Amelie Mauresmo
3...Svetlana Kuznetsova
3...Kim Clijsters
3...Marion Bartoli
3...Shahar Peer
2...Elena Dementieva
2...Martina Hingis
2...Michaella Krajicek
2...Anabel Medina-Garrigues
2...Meghann Shaughnessy
2...Jie Zheng
2...Vera Zvonareva

*MOST 2006 WTA FINALS*
10...Justine Henin-Hardenne (6-4)
7...Maria Sharapova (5-2)
7...Nadia Petrova
7...Amelie Mauresmo (4-3)
5...Svetlana Kuznetsova (3-2)
5...Kim Clijsters (3-2)
4...Marion Bartoli (3-1)
4...Martina Hingis (2-2)

*2006 FINALS BY NATIONS*
34...Russia (19 titles)
15...Belgium (9)
13...France (7)
9....Italy (1)
5....Israel (4)
5....China (3)
5....USA (3)
5....Spain (2)
5....Switzerland (2)
3....Czech Republic (2)

*MOST 2006 WTA SF*
13...Maria Sharapova (7-6)
13...Svetlana Kuznetsova (5-8)
12...Justine Henin-Hardenne (10-2)
10...Amelie Mauresmo (7-3)
10...Kim Clijsters (4-6)
9....Nadia Petrova (7-2)
8....Patty Schnyder (2-6)
7....Martina Hingis (4-3)
7....Elena Dementieva (3-4)
7....Nicole Vaidisova (1-6)

*2006 SEMIFINALISTS BY NATION*
60...Russia
24...France
22...Belgium
16...USA
15...Italy
15...Switzerland
12...Czech Republic
11...Spain

*2006 - MOST CONSECUTIVE FINALS*
7...Justine Henin-Hardenne (May-Nov)*
3...Amelie Mauresmo (Jan-Feb)
3...Justine Henin-Hardenne (Jan-Feb)
3...Maria Sharapova (Feb-Mar)
3...Nadia Petrova (Apr-May)
3...Nadia Petrova (Oct)
--
*-current (JHH also in Fed Cup final during span)

*RUSSIANS - THROUGH THE SEASONS*
=2001=
0 Champions, 3 RU, 6 SF
=2002=
6 Champions, 8 RU, 11 SF
=2003=
11 Champions, 4 RU, 20 SF
=2004=
15 Champions, 18 RU, 30 SF
=2005=
9 Champions, 8 RU, 36 SF
=2006=
19 Champions, 15 RU, 30 SF

*CONSECUTIVE 2006 MATCH WINS*
19...Maria Sharapova (Aug-Nov)*
17...Justine Henin-Hardenne (May-Jul)
16...Amelie Mauresmo (Jan-Feb)
15...Nadia Petrova (Apr-May)
--
*-Sharapova had w/o "loss" after 8 wins

*MOST 2006 DOUBLES TITLES*
[individuals]
10...Lisa Raymond
10...Samantha Stosur
6....Zi Yan
6....Jie Zheng
4....Kveta Peschke
[teams]
10...Raymond/Stosur
6....Yan/Zheng
3....Peschke/Schiavone
3....Ruano-Pascual/Suarez

*LONG CONSECUTIVE YEARS w/ TITLE STREAKS ENDED IN 2006*
8...Venus Williams (1998-05)
7...Serena Williams (1999-05)
4...Anastasia Myskina (2002-05)
3...Alicia Molik (2003-05)
3...Lindsay Davenport (2003-05)

*CONSECUTIVE YEARS w/ TWO TITLES STREAKS ENDED IN 2006*
2...Lindsay Davenport (2004-05)
2...Venus Williams (2004-05)
2...Nicole Vaidisova (2004-05)


=2005=
4th Rounders: Pierre 31-22
Quarterfinalists: Backspin 23-22
Semifinalists: Pierre 49-42
Finalists: Backspin 21-17
Champions: Backspin 10-8
=2006=
4th Rounders: Pierre 70-66
Quarterfinalists: Backspin 50-45
Semifinalists: Pierre 39-34
Finalists: Backspin 16-14
Champions: Pierre 5-3

...I'll get you next year, Head Honcho.


All for now.

===========

STILL TO COME:

Was Henin-Hardenne's YEC win enough for her to swipe away the Miss Backspin title from Mauresmo? Find out later this week, as Backspin's POY is crowned.

And don't forget to vote for the 2006 Tennisrulz Awards.

Read more...

WTA Awards

Nearly forty-five full weeks of action, 117 editions (and counting) of WTA Backspin, and over 375 weekly player awards later... it's come to this.

*RISERS*

1. Nadia Petrova
2. Ana Ivanovic
3. Jelena Jankovic
4. Dinara Safina
5. Tatiana Golovin
6. Marion Bartoli
7. Samantha Stosur
8. Vera Zvonareva
9. Anna-Lena Groenefeld
10. Alona Bondarenko
11. Jie Zheng
12. Na Li
13. Daniela Hantuchova
14. Anabel Medina-Garrigues
15. Tiantian Sun
16. Kararina Srebotnik
17. Marta Domachowska
18. Aiko Nakamura
19. Elena Vesnina
20. Mara Santangelo
21. Jelena Kostanic
22. Sofia Arvidsson
23. Roberta Vinci
24. Kaia Kanepi
25. Julia Vakulenko
HM- Martina Muller

*FRESH FACES*

1. Nicole Vaidisova
2. Anna Chakvetadze
3. Shahar Peer
4. Olga Poutchkova
5. Victoria Azarenka
6. Michaella Krajicek
7. Jamea Jackson
8. Lucie Safarova
9. Vania King
10. Tszvetana Pironkova
11. Agnieszka Radwanska
12. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
13. Tamira Paszek
14. Aravane Rezai
15. Romina Oprandi
16. Caroline Wozniacki
17. Jarmila Gajdosova
18. Viktoriya Kutuzova
19. Timea Bacsinszky
20. Anna Tatishvili
21. Yung-Jan Chan
22. Agnes Szavay
23. Aleksandra Wozniak
24. Marina Erakovic
25. Raluca Olaru
HM- Lauren Albanese

*SURPRISES*

1. Severine Bremond
2. Tszvetana Pironkova
3. Mara Santangelo
4. Kaia Kanepi
5. Vania King
6. Shenay Perry
7. Bethanie Mattek
8. Sybille Bammer
9. Iroda Tulyaganova
10. Maria Elena Camerin
11. Angelique Kerber
12. Lourdes Dominguez Lino
13. Stephanie Dubois
14. Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez
15. Maret Ani
16. Karin Knapp
17. Marie Eve Pelletier
18. Anne Schaefer
19. Tzipora Obziler
20. Urszula Radwanska
HM- Ivana Lisjak

*VETERANS*

1. Martina Hingis
2. Lisa Raymond
3. Francesca Schiavone
4. Meghann Shaughnessy
5. Patty Schnyder
6. Martina Navratilova
7. Cara Black/Rennae Stubbs
8. Anna Smashnova
9. Severine Bremond
10. Virginia Ruano-Pascual
11. Paola Suarez
12. Kveta Peschke
13. Eleni Daniilidou
14. Ai Sugiyama
15. Iroda Tulyaganova
16. Jill Craybas
17. Tamarine Tanasugarn
18. Brenda Schultz-McCarthy
19. Meilen Tu
20. Tzipora Obziler
HM- Lilia Osterloh

*DOWN*

1t. Venus Williams
1t. Serena Williams
3. Sesil Karatantcheva
4. Mary Pierce
5. Lindsay Davenport
6. Anastasia Myskina
7. Gisela Dulko
8. Sania Mirza
9. Maria Kirilenko
10. Shuai Peng
HM- Jelena Dokic

*BEST COMEBACKS*

1. After three years of retirement, Martina Hingis returns to the tour and becomes a Top 10 player.
------------------------------
2. Wimbledon 2nd - V.Williams d. Lisa Raymond
....Venus overcomes 7-6/5-2 deficit in early rounds of Wimbledon a year after winning the title.
------------------------------
3. Martina Navratilova plays in Prague event in her first visit to her native Czech Republic in 20 years
------------------------------
4. Roland Garros 1st - Sharapova d. Washington
....with the "help" of a few pigeons who invaded the court at a crucial moment, Sharapova climbs out of a 2-5 3rd set hole.
------------------------------
5. Justine Henin-Hardenne, in her first event after the Melbourne retirement, wins the Dubai title
------------------------------
HM- In Zurich, Daniela Hantuchova reaches her first Tier I final since winning Indian Wells in 2002.
------------------------------
HM- Alona Bondarenko survives being match point down in the Luxembourg QF vs. Kveta Peschke, then wins her first career tour title the next day against Francesca Schiavone
------------------------------

*UPSETS OF THE YEAR*

1. Birmingham SF - Jackson d. Sharapova
....6-4/6-4. Sharapova's 25-match grass winning streak comes to an unceremonious halt.
-----------------------------
2. Australian Open 1st - Pironkova d. V.Williams
....2-6/6-0/9-7. Sesil was nowhere to be found, but Venus still found a way to lose to a Bulgarian teenager early in a slam. Go figure.
-----------------------------
3. Miami 2nd - Craybas d. Clijsters
....7-5/3-6/7-5. Last year, Craybas knocked off Serena at Wimbledon.
-----------------------------
4. Roland Garros 4th - Vaidisova d. Mauresmo
....6-7/6-1/6-2. The Dynamova is born.
-----------------------------
5. Warsaw 1st - A.Radwanska d. Myskina
....6-4/4-6/6-4. At the time, this was a "who???" situation, but Radwanska proved mighty adept at upsetting big-name players down the stretch. The Czarina did avoid the same fate vs. Agnieszka's little sister Urszula a short time later, though.
-----------------------------
6. Tokyo SF - Hingis d. Sharapova
....6-3/6-1. This win was the statement that truly said that Hingis was back, even if she DID only win four more matches against Top 10ers the rest of the season.
-----------------------------
7. Montreal 2nd - Dubois d. Clijsters
....1-6/3-2 ret. Local girl makes good, thanks in large part to (to paraphrase Venus) Kim's largesse.
-----------------------------
8. Fed Cup 1st Rd. - Italy d. France 4-1
....Schiavone's upset of Mauresmo set the stage for the Noodles' romp through the field to their eventual FC title.
-----------------------------
9. Fed Cup 1st Rd. (USA/GER) - Jackson d. Groenefeld
....6-2/3-6/7-5. Jamea Jackson sent up a flair of recognition with this win, which keyed the Americanas' "upset" of Germany. It wouldn't be her last big win of the year (see #1).
-----------------------------
10. Bali 1st - Poutchkova d. Ivanovic
....6-3/4-6/6-2. The Russian teen made a name for herself here, then went on to reach two finals in the 4th quarter.
-----------------------------

*CHOKES OF THE YEAR*

1. US Open 3rd - Peer d. Schiavone
....Schiavone led 5-1 in the 3rd and failed to convert five match points. Her '06 Fed Cup exploits aside, this type of loss provides ample evidence for why she's still searching for singles title #1
-----------------------------
2. Roland Garros 4th - Safina d. Sharapova
....the Supernova had to crash before she re-learned how to soar. She blew a 5-1 3rd set lead in probably the worst grand slam moment of her career.
-----------------------------
3. US Open SF - Henin-Hardenne d. Jankovic
....Jankovic led 4-2 40/30 in the 2nd when trying to close out the match in straight sets. Then she argued a call, lost her concentration and dropped the last ten games of the match.
-----------------------------
4. Kirsten Flipkens in the Fed Cup final
....everything she touched turned to stone in Belgium's failure to secure the title on home court. She lost to Schiavone, then blew a set lead on Santangelo, forcing an injured JHH onto the court for a deciding doubles match that her knee wouldn't let her finish.
-----------------------------
5. Eastbourne QF - Kuznetsova d. Groenefeld
....sure, it happened on the grass rather than the hard courts that bedeviled Girl Friday in '06. But after a nice spring, ALG's squanders 3rd sets leads of 4-2 and 5-4 (and three match points), followed by a 1st Round exit at SW19, effectively began the downslide that engulfed the last half of her season.
-----------------------------

*MATCHES OF THE YEAR*

1. Australian Open SF - Henin-Hardenne d. Sharapova
....4-6/6-1/6-4. A battle between the two strongest-willed players on tour, and a nice first half of a pair of big-event bookends where JHH upset Sharapova in a SF (along with her straight sets SF win over the previously-streaking Supernova in the YEC this weekend).
-----------------------------
2. Amelia Island Doubles 1st - Pratt/Stewart d. Morariu/Stubbs
....7-6(5)/7-6(20). The 22-point tie-break was the longest in WTA history..
-----------------------------
3. Berlin F - Petrova d. Henin-Hardenne
....4-6/6-4/7-5. No win better symbolized the zone Petrova found herself in on the clay during the spring than this one.
-----------------------------

*PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

1. Sharapova is exquisite in the city, winning the U.S. Open
-----------------------------
2. Mauresmo silences her critics, claiming Wimbledon five months after winning the Australian Open
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3. Italy is surprise winner of its first Fed Cup title
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4. Justine Henin-Hardenne reaches the finals of all four slams, the YEC and the Fed Cup
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5. Nadia Petrova wins back-to-back titles in Amelia Island & Charleston.
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6. Anna Chakvetadze shocks the field and wins Kremlin Cup title in Moscow
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7. Svetlana Kuznetsova defeats three #1 players en route to claiming Miami title
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8. Martina Navratilova ends her remarkable career by winning Tier I doubles title in Montreal, then Mixed Doubles crown at the US Open
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9. Lisa Raymond & Samantha Stosur win four consecutive Tier I titles
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10. Ana Ivanovic wins Montreal Tier I, and US Open Series title
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...next week, the "Miss Backspin" contenders are lined up all in a row -- and this time it counts.


All for now.

============================


2006 SEASON REVIEW EDITIONS OF WTA BACKSPIN:
....Revolving Doors
....Intriguing Answers: A Swiss Miss, a Near-Miss & a Big Hit
....How Smart We Were, How Dumb We Were
....Intriguing Answers: Maria the Bear
....Intriguing Answers: A Tale of Two Champions

STILL TO COME:
....2006 Miss Backspin
....2006 WTA Yearbook

Read more...