While it is too early to write the final chapter of this saga, women's tennis is not what it was just a couple of years ago.
The departure of Martina, the near departure of Anna and Monica and the long absences of the Williams sisters are clearly hurting the women's side of the sport.
A sport like tennis, which is basically an individual sport and not a team sport, needs big personalities who can capture the public's imagination. While there are promising people on the horizon, like Sharapova and possibly Hackleroad in America,there are not yet proven entities.
I am a fan of both Kim and Justine, but neither strikes me as having the kind of persona that transcends their tennis skills. Four of the five women mentioned above, Martina, Anna, Venus and Serena, had the quality that made them stars over and above tennis.
Monica had the quality when younger, then was stabbed and became an icon because of the stabbing.
But without these five around, the sport is suffering.
:lol: 
