Istanbul Preview

The WTA year end championships begin tomorrow in Istanbul, Turkey.  The field is very wide open with no real dominate player(s) on the tour since Clijsters had all kinds of injury issues.  Here are the eight participants with their points this week and some stats.

1) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) - 7395 - 3rd YEC appearance (2009,2010) - 6 titles this year
2) Maria Sharapova (RUS) - 6370 - 5th YEC appearance (2004,2005,2006,2007) - 2 titles this year
3) Petra Kvitova (CZE) - 5970 - 1st YEC appearance - 5 titles this year including Wimbledon
4) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) - 5750 - 3rd YEC appearance (2009,2010) - 3 titles this year
5) Na Li (CHN) - 5351 - 1st YEC appearance - 2 titles this year including French Open
6) Vera Zvonareva (RUS) - 5190 - 4th YEC appearance (2004,2008,2010) - 2 titles this year
7) Samantha Stosur (AUS) - 5115 - 2nd YEC appearance (2010) - 1 title this year, the US Open
8) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) - 4940 - 1st YEC appearance - 3 titles this year

*Note these are direct acceptances into the YEC's as Zvonareva and Radwanska both appeared as alternates in 2009.

The red group includes Wozniacki, Kvitova, Zvonareva, and Radwanska while the white group consists of Sharapova, Azarenka, Li, and Stosur.  The number 1 is up for grabs as technically 3 players all have a chance to get it, though Kvitova can only get there if Wozniacki fails to play 2 matches.  Wozniacki clinches world no. 1 for the second consecutive year by reaching the final or if Sharapova does not win the championship.  The other spots in the rankings are not secure either as demonstrated by the fact that Radwanska can finish the year as high as #3.

As a review, here are the winners of the big titles this year:

-Australian Open:  Kim Clijsters
-French Open:  Na Li
-Wimbledon:  Petra Kvitova
-US Open:  Samantha Stosur

-Dubai:  Caroline Wozniacki
-Indian Wells:  Caroline Wozniacki
-Miami:  Victoria Azarenka
-Madrid:  Petra Kvitova
-Rome:  Maria Sharapova
-Toronto:  Serena Williams
-Cincinatti:  Maria Sharapova
-Tokyo:  Agnieszka Radwanska
-Beijing:  Agnieszka Radwanska

I can really see anyone winning this tournament, so it should be fun.  Enjoy!