WTA: Kerber, Sharapova, Venus - who will make the biggest comeback?
Three multiple major winners can look back on 2019, which has not met their own high standards. The best prospect of changing this in the coming season is probably the German number one.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Dec 31, 2019, 10:52 am
While the generation change among men is expected and spoken to by many observers and players, only Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadalstruck again in the Grand Slam tournaments. On the women's side, however, only Simona Halep was able to hold the flag of the well-established in Wimbledon, the other three majors went to representatives of NextGen. Naomi Osaka had only confirmed her appearances at the US Open a few months earlier with her triumph at the Australian Open.
Was it that completely for the established players - or can champions like Angelique Kerber , Maria Sharapova or Venus Williams find their way back to great shape? However, the mixed situation of the three people addressed is of course very different.
Kerber ended the past year at position 20, is only 31 years old - and in an interview with the Süddeutsche Zeitung a few days ago confirmed that after 2016 she had two Grand Slam successes (in Melbourne and New York City) and With the triumph at Wimbledon in 2018, an upturn is expected again in the coming "even" year. With Dieter Kindlmann, a new coach is working alongside the German number one who, despite its small bear market, was able to reach the finals of two major tournaments in 2019: in Indian Wells (loss to Bianca Andreescu) and in Eastbourne, where Kerber lost to Karolina Pliskova.
Sharapova's problems with her body
Even more difficult is the mixed situation at Venus Williams, which will celebrate its 40th birthday in June 2020. It's not that long ago that Venus reached two majors' finals, 2017 in Melbourne and Wimbledon, but the past twelve months have given rise to doubts as to whether the five-time Wimbledon and two-time US Open winner will be another big hit can pull out. In 2019, the quarter-finals in Indian Wells and Cincinnati were once again vigorous signs of life from Venus Williams, who hibernated as number 52 in the world.
That leaves Maria Sharapova, who has been successful in five Grand Slam tournaments to date. And the question of the health of the Russian, who could not play a match after her clear defeat against Serena Williams at the 2019 US Open. And the signs are not all that good again: Although Sharapova was able to play a match in an exhibition fight in Abu Dhabi (and also win against Ajla Tomljanovic) last week, the 32-year-old canceled her participation in an exhibition in Hawaii .