[NashaMasha]

In 2013, the WTA will begin with a triumvirate at the top: Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka, and Sharapova. With Rodriguez’s calming influence and coaching knowledge, Li would appear, at the ripe young age of 30, to be in a place to make that a quartet. Doing that won’t mean winning matches when she’s playing well, like today’s; it will mean winning the ones when she can’t find her forehand or her serve, like the one against Peng. But Li has made the first step. By changing coaches, she’s begun to put her head, rather then her heart, in charge.

http://www.tennis.com/news/2012/10/h.../#.UG9HK663bTo

And no place for pushers even in Tignor's mind

[TheLegendof]

It's sort of early to put Li Na up there, but the triumvirate is obvious. With hope, Petra will find top form again and we can have an amazing 2013 (fingers crossed everyone stays healthy)

[Excelscior]

So Says The Soothsayer Tignor, so it must be true.

[OhNaNa]

Yes, lets hope he's right about Li Na! The YEC should really show if it's true or not. (If the real Serena shows up )

[sweetadri06]

It's a bit early to put Na Li there, she hasn't made a grand slam final this year. Even Petra has better results at the slams than her, plus she is 31 in a few months, not exactly a spring chicken. I don't even know how long Serena can keep up her great form either.

[bandabou]

I do agree that the pushers will eventually be gone..all of them being exposed lately.

[Ferg]

Li's injuries has taken a long time off her career so she wont suffer burnout anytime time soon. Think she has a good few years left in her.

[RenaSlam.]

A bit premature to put Li Na in there. Mentally those 3 players are far above her.

[Матвей.]

Yeah, right. Even at her best, Na will always suffer enough fuck-up losses in a season to ensure she won't finish in even a very weak top 5. She just doesn't have the consistency to stay close to the other three.

[PMBH]

Argh, I'm so tired of socalled 'tennis experts' making predictions about the future based entirely on the current status. 2013 will obviously bring new developments and I'll bet everything I've got that at least one of the four players mentioned will have a disappointing season, and that several other players will be in contention.

[The Dawntreader]

Originally Posted by Матвей.

Yeah, right. Even at her best, Na will always suffer enough fuck-up losses in a season to ensure she won't finish in even a very weak top 5. She just doesn't have the consistency to stay close to the other three.

Exactly. Even in her career best season last year, she completely tailed off after RG. There's just zero chance of consistency throughout the season. It's almost impossible.

I had a concern that it would be her body that would be her biggest obstacle to stay at the top of the game, but it's her consistency that will prove terminal.