This offseason, Last Word On Tennis will be looking back at the seasons of the top 50 players on each tour. This installment includes the WTA 2016 players ranked 11-15.
WTA 2016 Year in Review: 11-15
11. Petra Kvitova
After a slow start the former Wimbledon champion came alive in the second half of the season.
High Points
Adding an Olympic bronze medal to her trophy cabinet will undoubtedly be a personal highlight for Kvitova. Her run in Rio also kick-started her superb final couple of months where she won a Premier title in Wuhan, crushing Dominika Cibulkova 6-1 6-1. The Czech made a statement of intent for 2017 after also winning the WTA Elite finals without dropping a set.
Low Points
Failing to reach the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time since 2009 will be bitterly disappointing for a player of her pedigree. A rough grass court swing did not help proceedings. She managed just three wins on the surface where she has had her recognisable success.
Contextualising her on-court troubles with off-court issues has to be done. At the start of the year she was struggling with illness . She also split with long-term coach David Kotyza in January before ditching new coach Frantisek Cermak just five months in.
Other Highlights
While not as individually successful as other years, she was once again part of the Czech Fed Cup team who went on to win their fifth title in six years against France. Alongside her success during the tail end of the year, she reached another final in Luxembourg where she came up just short against Monica Niculescu.
Outlook for 2017
After a fairly forgettable 2016, expect to see a dangerous and rejuvenated Petra Kvitova in 2017. Armed with a new coach in Jiri Vanek, the Czech will be a formidable force once again. If she swings as freely as has been in recent months then she will be a much more dangerous prospect as well as a more realistic Grand Slam contender.
12. Carla Suarez Navarro
Another year of minor progression for the elegeant Spaniard who switched her focus fully to the singles tour.
High Points
Without a shadow of a doubt the standout moment of the year was back in February where Carla Suarez Navarro won her first Premier level event in Doha. She recovered well in the final after dropping the first set to Jelena Ostapenko to take home the title in three sets.
Low Points
As with previous years there was a feeling that her 2016 somewhat fizzled out. In her final four tournaments she lost twice in the opening round including a disappointing 6-1 6-3 defeat to Yaroslava Shvedova in Beijing.
Other Highlights
Her consistency across the Grand Slams was a real bonus. Reaching the fourth round of the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open as well as the quarters in Melbourne certainly justified her decision to fully abandon doubles at the Grand Slam’s for the first time. She will also be hugely pleased with a much improved grass court season, including a victory over world #1 Angelique Kerber in Birmingham.
Outlook for 2017
There is a feeling that Carla Suarez Navarro is playing at her peak right now and her limited height and age mean it is hard to see her ever competing at the very, very top. It is difficult to see 2017 being a more progressive year than this year has been and it might be more a matter of consolidation.
13. Victoria Azarenka
Back to her best at the start of 2016 before the unexpected but wonderful news of her pregnancy brought her year to an early close.
High Points
Becoming just the third player to win the Sunshine Double. A sensational month saw the Belarussian win twelve straight matches to join Steffi Graf and Kim Clijsters’s exclusive club after winning Indian Wells and Miami in a month. Winning her first nine matches of the season was a huge early warning sign that she was back to her best.
Low Points
It has never been her speciality but her clay court swing was brief and disappointing, especially given her start to the year.
Other Highlights
While it was sad for us that Victoria Azarenka left the WTA Tour in July, the reasons behind it were fantastic. Her pregnancy announcement, whilst being a shock, was greeted with warmth from fans. With the announcement in July, it can only be a matter of time before we have a new baby Azarenka joining the tennis family.
Outlook for 2017
Honestly, largely unknown. First order of business is of course to give birth and then from there it is entirely up to her how long she takes away from the game. She has already said she will come back but will not rush so it is simply a case of patience.
14. Elina Svitolina
Another year of solid development for the youngster who began to look a real force as the 2016 WTA Tour drew to a close.
High Points
Producing a huge upset at the Rio Olympics when she eliminated Serena Williams 6-4 6-3 through a masterful display in the 3rd round. This was to be the catalyst for a strong final few months. She reached the final in New Haven before being halted by Agnieszka Radwanska. It was the tricky Pole who again proved her downfall as she reached the semi-finals in Beijing – her first Premier Mandatory semi-final.
Low Points
Despite reaching the quarter-finals of Roland Garros the year before, her clay court season stands out as a disappointment. In Paris she managed to reach the fourth round but her preparation was far from ideal as she crashed out in the first round of Rome and Bogota. Her grass court swing was equally disappointing with just one victory all summer. She has also found a nemesis in Petra Kvitova, after the Czech player heavily defeated her four times in 2016.
Other Highlights
Svitolina did win her fourth WTA Title in four seasons as she triumphed early in the year in Kuala Lumpur. You can obviously only beat what is in front of you but the calibre of opposition meant that it would have been more of a disappointment had she not won it. The real positive to take away from 2016 was that, not only did she defeat Serena Williams, but she also defeated Angelique Kerber and twice defeated Garbine Muguruza. Also did well to upset Johanna Konta and reach the final of the WTA Elite Finals.
Outlook for 2017
There is undeniable talent coursing through the veins of Elina Svitolina. 2016 provided proof that she can mix it with the best and 2017 should be the year she raises that level of consistency to a top 10 standard. I would not be surprised to see her make her first Grand Slam semi-final as she quietly goes about her business alongside her new coaching set-up of Gabriel Urpi and Thierry Ascione.
15. Timea Bacsinszky
A more subdued year for the Swiss player after her stellar 2015. Her impressive clay court season saved an otherwise underwhelming season.
High Points
A silver medal at the Rio Olympics alongside Martina Hingis in the doubles stands out. More impressive than that though was her remarkable play during the clay season. Not only did she collect the Rabat title but she managed a win-loss record of 17-4 between April and July on the red dirt.
Low Points
Aside from Miami, pretty much any tournament not played on clay. The tail end of her season was exceptionally poor with just three wins in six tournaments. The warning signs were there early on though, as her early season hard court form was equally disappointing. Despite her superb form in 2015 she managed just one victory in her first six matches.
Other Highlights
Her run to the semi-finals in Miami stands out as a surprisingly strong result given her hard court struggles, especially when you consider the standard of her opposition. Not only did she defeat Ana Ivanovic but she then went on to topple Agnieszka Radwanska and Simona Halep – both from a set down – to record her only top 10 victories of the season.
Outlook for 2017
Expect another clay court masterclass from the Swiss as she will once again flourish on her favourite surface. Her real focus will need to come on improving her results on hard and grass courts. If she can manage this then there is no reason to suggest she cannot re-enter the top 10. Given the calibre of young players coming through, this will be a tough ask though and 2017 may bring much the same as 2016.
