[Golovinjured.]

I remember years ago there being the revolution of Russians coming onto the tour. Myskina, Dementieva, Bovina, Kuznetsova, Zvonareva, Kirilenko, Krasnoroutskaya, Petrova.. I don't think I need to name all of them. There were something like 10 in the TOP 50, 7 of the TOP 15. It was quite amazing. I know I was one of the people who thought Russia would go on to dominate the sport, win almost every slam, and take over the TOP 10, especially after the Myskina-Sharapova-Kuznetsova GS performances in '04.

To some extent, it happened, and is still happening with 5 of the TOP 10. But after 2004, just Sharapova has won another Grand Slam, but Dinara has been #1, Dementieva gold medallist. I thought the revolution would be bigger then it has been though, somewhat of a letdown. What about you?

 

[Effy]

To some extent, it happened, and is still happening with 5 of the TOP 10. But after 2004, just Sharapova has won another Grand Slam, but Dinara has been #1, Dementieva gold medallist.

just? :lol:
Sharapova got 2 GS after 2004 was twice number 1.

Safina being number 1, Lena D reaching top 3 finally, Vera top 5.. Sveta, Nadia all in top 10.. what else do ya want? :lol:

 

[Beat]

what else do ya want? :lol:

more slams ...?

 

[up!]

The Belgium revlution was bigger and yet, they had only two players !

 

[homogenius]

The numbers are impressive.As you said, they are indeed massively represented in the top100, 50 and top10, are regularly reaching finals and getting titles etc...
Considering all this, their top players should be winning the slams as well but they fail on a consistent basis.
I wasn't expecting a domination, but players like Elena for example should have already won a slam.
They work hard, are dedicaced, but most of them are lacking this extra something that players like the sisters, Henin, Maria or Amelie have/had.

 

[bandabou]

So far it's been more about quantity, consistency than actual quality.. only Maria can say she's had some quality. Although it's funny that Serena actually has won more majors since 2004 than Maria...

Nobody expected that. Maria was a surefire pick to dominate, but injuries seem to have gotten the best of her.

 

[Shoulderpova]

Too bad, if all of them weren't headcases Russia would have swept almost every single Slam since 2004 :sad:

 

[Effy]

more slams ...?

for sure but the current situation isn't bad

 

[ElusiveChanteuse]

Williams >>>> Russia

 

[Effy]

Lena should have won a slam or two already .. but should have / would have dont work.

 

[Effy]

Williams >>>> Russia

Williams is a country?

anyway what have WS to do with this thread anyway? :zzz:

 

[Dave.]

About right. They have dominated the sport with loads of quality results. As a country they are still by far the most powerful in tennis.

2004 was amazing when they had 3/4 slams but since then I think they have improved by continuing to produce top players and more mid-ranked players aswell as 2 no.1's and more all-Russian finals.

 

[Golovinjured.]

for sure but the current situation isn't bad

I never said it was, it's just less dominant than I expected it would be at this point. I didn't insinuate anything, just asked your opinion. Nor by any means did I intend that the 'Russian Revolution' was over, it's still very much happening.

I guess injuries, and players disappearing have had a major part in it. Off the top of my head, Myskina, Krasnoroutskaya, Bovina and Linetskaya all vanished. Plus, you look at Petrova in '06, getting injured going into Roland Garros as favourite, and now Sharapova out with a bung shoulder and Zvonareva hurting her ankle whilst in the best form of her career. Alot of the time it's just come down to plain bad luck. However, Dementieva, Petrova and Safina are all still capable of winning slams. Petrova possibly one of the most talented out there on tour who hasn't won one.

I just thought the past 5 years, and the next 5 even, could have become an interesting chapter in the history of womens tennis. The Russian Revolution, which in my opinion was ignited by the popularity of Kournikova. After 2004, it looked like it was going to develop into something extraodinary, and what followed has been a letdown, in my opinion. Still, it's been impressive, but right now it's not going down as an epic transitional phase for the WTA. Maybe by rankings, or in depth, but by slams (where it counts), hardly.

 

[miffedmax]

I honestly expected a few more slams. But in fairness, who knew that Myskina would be forced into premature retirement within a year (I know she played some in '05 and '06, but she was a shadow of her former self) of winning her maiden slam, and that Sharapova would miss most of '08 and who knows how much of '09 due to injury? We knew Lena was a headcase, but Kuzzy gave no signs of being a mental midget back in '04.

On the other hand, TOB, Kuzzy and Bepa aren't that old, and Lena has some fight left in her. The Revolution ain't over yet.

 

[thegreendestiny]

Williams is a country?

anyway what have WS to do with this thread anyway? :zzz:

Hijackers.
They just want to reassert the WS achievement on every opportunity.

 

[SIN DIOS NI LEY]

Read the Russian Titles thread on Russian Roulette

Most posters there were jumping of joy with a title of Kuznetsova in Helsinki back then in 2001 . 8 years later the russians have won 100 WTA titles

 

[Nikkiri]

Russians are headcases :sad:

 

[LudwigDvorak]

Read the Russian Titles thread on Russian Roulette

Most posters there were jumping of joy with a title of Kuznetsova in Helsinki back then in 2001 . 8 years later the russians have won 100 WTA titles

This is a great point. The Russians have come extremely far, and I'm proud of them.

If I'm not mistaken though, only eight or nine of them have entered the top ten right? Sharapova, Myskina, Kournikova, Dementieva, Petrova, Chakvetadze, Zvonareva, Safina, Kuznetsova. To me, with their field and level of talent, I'd have expected more than that ten years after the fact. But all in due time, perhaps.

Personally though, I never expected the Russians to dominate slams or anything. Venus, Serena, Kim, Justine, and to an extent Amelie are/were just too good to consistently bypass them. Jennifer can be included in there too, maybe.

 

[Golovinjured.]

Read the Russian Titles thread on Russian Roulette

Most posters there were jumping of joy with a title of Kuznetsova in Helsinki back then in 2001 . 8 years later the russians have won 100 WTA titles

True, it's pretty outstanding. Shame only 5 of those are slams, but it shows the depth of Russian tennis around the top of the game, that's for sure.

Another point I've always been curious about is Sharapova. Some of the other Russian players, and people on this forum, have said she's 'not really Russian' - essentially, she brought up in the United States. So, can she truly be attributed as part of the Russian Revolution? She makes up a big chunk of it's legacy. 19/100 WTA titles, 1/2 #1 players, 3/5 slams. I know it 20 years when people talk about the Russian Revolution, she'll have been a part of it, but is it really true?

 

[kiwifan]

The Belgium revlution was bigger and yet, they had only two players !

:spit: true


To be honest, Anna still leaves the biggest impression of all the Russians.

Maria is the only big success and she feels the least "exotic" or "foriegn". You don't think "there must be something in the water over there" since you know she's been drinking "the water over here" most of her life.

Beyond Maria none of the Russians have surpassed a "Mary Jo Fernandez" level of a career which isn't bad but hardly worthy of a word like "Revolution".

I won't go into what Revolution in Women's tennis was bigger than I thought it would be. :devil: