1. How many
majors will Serena win?
After a historic 2013 season, which saw Serena Williams
capture 11 WTA titles, including two majors, the world number one looked to
continue her dominance in 2014. However, an up and down 2014 season resulted in
Williams capturing only one major title. Now that Williams has tied Evert and
Navratilova with 18 grand slam titles, the 33-year-old has only Steffi Graf
ahead of her with 22 majors. The question of how many majors will Serena
Williams win this year comes down to two factors: (1) whether she can remain
injury-free; and (2) whether she can deal with the overwhelming pressure from
both tennis fans and herself. If Williams can do both of these things, the
American is poised to narrow the gap between her and Graf by the end of 2015
Prediction:
2 Majors
2. Will
Radwanska breakthrough at a major?
Agnieszka Radwanska finalized a huge addition to her
coaching box this offseason. The world number six hired tennis legend Martina
Navratilova to work along long-time coach Tomasz
Wiktorowski. Navratilova now joins Hall of Famers Michael Chang, Stefan Edberg
and Boris Becker in the coaching ring. If Navratilova is to improve any part of
Radwanska’s game, it will most likely be strategically. The Pole, who stands at
5’8”, is at a sizable disadvantage when playing the bigger hitters in women’s
tennis. Furthermore, Navratilova will focus more of the X’s an O’s in order to
compensate for this weakness. I have always believed that Radwanska has the
potential to win a major. With the addition of Navratilova in her coaching box,
this might just be the lift she needs to capture her first major.
Prediction:
No
3. Who will be
the next breakout star(s)?
The 2014 season saw several breakout stars on the
WTA. Youngsters Eugiene Bouchard, Garbiñe Muguruza, and Simona Halep all made
huge statements at the grand slams last year. Muguruza made the quarterfinals
at the French Open, while Halep and Bouchard made their maiden major final at
the French Open and Wimbledon respectively. As the WTA continues to go through
a transition period, 2015 is destined to have another breakout star. Here is a
shortlist of players to keep your eye on: (1) Belinda Bencic; (2) Taylor
Townsend; (3) Ana Konjuh
Prediction:
Taylor Townsend
4. Can the
2014 breakout stars (Halep, Bouchard, Muguruza) continue their impressive form
in 2015?
Consistent results by top players over an extended
period of time are hard to come by unless your last name is Williams or
Sharapova. Over the past five years, women’s tennis has seen a rotating
carousel of players, who have a breakout season where they crack the Top 10,
but are unable to sustain their level of play. Andrea Petkovic, Roberta Vinci,
Maria Kirilenko are just three recent examples of players who struggled after
reaching the games’ elite. In regards to 2014’s breakout stars, all three must
be able to handle the increased expectation to perform at the bigger WTA
events. All three of these women have the game to compete for major titles. However,
if they can’t handle what happens between the ears, their success will be
short-lived.
Prediction:
Yes
5. How will
Azarenka bounce back from a forgettable 2014?
The 2014 season was one to forget for former world
number one, Victoria Azarenka. After a strong start in Brisbane, where she made
the final, injuries sidelined the Belarusian for a majority of the year. In
fact, Azarenka only played nine events the entire season. Furthermore, the
Belarusian’s ranking fell from No. 2 at the start of the 2014, to No. 32 by season’s
end. There is no question whether the former world number one can bounce back
from a forgettable 2014. Azarenka has proven throughout her career that she is
one of women’s tennis’ fiercest competitors. However, it is uncertain whether Azarenka
can go deep in tournaments and remain injury-free.
(Update): Victoria Azarenka fell to Karolina Pliskova
in the 1R of Brisbane 4-6, 7-6 (7), 4-6. With the loss, the Belarusian will not
be seeded for the Australian Open. Talk about a dangerous floater.
Prediction:
Yes
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