Sara Errani: Back in the running?
Sara Errani has had a difficult few years. Now she has won an ITF title and is finally back in the top 100 in the world.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Mar 06, 2023, 07:35 pm
Ranked fifth in the world in 2012 and 5th in the world in 2013, the Italian hasn't had it easy in recent seasons. A ban due to doping (Errani pointed out that her mother's drug got into the food while preparing the family pasta) caused her to drop far in the WTA ranking, while the now 35-year-old had to struggle with massive serve problems (when playing ball throw), due to which she produced double faults en masse and sometimes hit from below.
Now Errani celebrated an important victory: At the ITF tournament in Arcadia/USA she won the title, in the final by walkover over Arantxa Rus. The reward: the return to the top 100, specifically Errani is listed in 97th place. In 2018 she slipped out of the exclusive club of the top 100 players in the world in the aftermath of the doping break.
Will Errani, a classic clay court player with a fine eye, be able to go back to the old days? One can be curious. A question that can also be asked regarding the doubles competition - here Errani was number 1 in the world in 2012, with 5 Grand Slam titles on the credit side. Recently, however, she has hardly been active here.
WTA world rankings: Vekic and Kostyuk with jumps, Friedsam back in the top 100
And what else is going on with movement in the WTA ranking? Nothing in the top 20 - behind it, yes. Donna Vekic climbs to 23rd thanks to her Monterrey title, while Marta Kostyuk climbs to 40th thanks to her Austin win.
Pleasing from a German point of view: Anna-Lena Friedsam is also one of the top 100 players again and is 99th after her Monterrey quarter-finals. The best German is again Tatjana Maria in 70th place ahead of Jule Niemeier in 72nd and Tamara Korpatsch in 81st place.
In Austria, Julia Grabher is number 1 with place 93.