[Brian Stewart]

If you counted everyone who has been ranked in the top 10 on the WTA computer, and everyone who was in a year-end top 10 ranking list from 1925 (when such lists started for the women) -1974, there have been between 190-194 top 10 players in women's tennis history. (My unofficial tally is 193, but I have to double check a couple of married names.)

If the 193 figure is correct, that means sometime soon, we'll have the 200th different top 10 player. (Probably in 2005, given that 7 newcomers is a lot for a year and a month.) Who will it be?

Who do you think will be the next 7 new players into the top 10? Will Petrova and Sugiyama be the next 2? Feel free to prognosticate. (Just clean up when you're done.)

 

[Hurley]

I think Petrova and Zvonareva will eke in at some point...so that will make 195.

Sharapova should be the next one...196.

But after that...god knows. The 200th is still probably playing the 14's.

 

[Gowza]

i think petrova and zvonareva will. and sharapova. and also probably bovina and possibley kuznetsova. maybe lina k and possibly douchevina in the future. some of the young 14's are pretty good like kleybanova, krajicek and kutuzova. vaidisova is also a talent (but maybe not as much as the others). also lisjak (a 16 year old) has had some good results. sprem i haven't seen play but she looks to be a versatile player by her results (she has wins on most surfaces) and i think experience will tell us whether she can make the top 10. also stosur has quite a good game and some big weapons, she has a lot to work on but if she starts to get a couple of wta maindraw wins we may see her make a very quick rise up the ranks. and also haynes has had some impressive results.

i'm not sure who will be 200th. but at the moment petrova and zvonareva are closest. i do think petrova will be the next in the top 10 but after that i have no clue as to who will get in and when.