[joaco]

I think that there is a posibility for Martina to be Nº 1 in the world again, because she has only won 3 tournament in the first part of the year, and has not got so much points to defend.

I think that other candidate to keep going as Nº 1 is Lindsay if she makes a good performances in Grand Slams. Besides she was out for over three months and missed Roland Garros.

Jennifer has got LOTS of points to defend, specially in the first part of the year and it'll be hard for her to mantain that level. Equally, she only ten points away from Lindsay, but still i don't think she'll be able to mantain the position N1 1 (if she gets there) for long.<br /> <br /> And Venus also has got chances, and many chances. But she has to defend the titles of Wimledon and US OPEN and that's heavy. So she must play more tournaments (as we all know) and be consistent.

Besides this four, Serena Williams is still far away from Nº1 positions, but she promised she'd play more tournaments, so we'll see. And Justine and Kim should make great performances next year, but I still don't think they'll get to Nº1 in 2002.

These are all my thoughts and I don't pretend to offence no one in any sense.<br /> <br /> Joaquin <img src="cool.gif" border="0">

 

[Monica_Rules]

I doubt she'll ever get to number 1 ever again she will have to win a few grabdslams which she is capable of but i'm still unsure!

 

[evaz]

I do believe, that she will come back stronger than ever. <br />She has got the game to be no. 1 again!

 

[QUEENLINDSAY]

I Believed she cant take that spot again just for her consistency in semis and finals. She needs to win more titles. Maybe next next year she will be up for a battle.

I believed the battle next year would still be Lindsay/Venus/Capriati which I think would be easy for Lindsay if she stays healthy all year. But If injuries attacked her, that would be big chance for Jen & Venus.

 

[saki]

To be #1 again, Martina needs the same kind of consistency as last year plus a win at Roland Garros and a good showing at Wimby (where she only has 1Rd points to defend) would put her back into contention. It could happen, but my money would be on Venus or Lindsay.

 

[Volcana]

Five wins all year over top 10 players, all in February or before.<br />Since February, she literally hasn't been a top ten player. <br />And she hasn't beaten one. The Dementieva loss in Moscow was bad.<br />Elena isn't that good a player. Martina lost 2 and 2.

No. I don't think she'll return to #1. <br />In fact, if she doesn't get with the idea that it's her own weakness that's the problem, <br />not the strength of the other player, I doubt she end the year in the top ten.<br />At some point Martina has to realize that other players are BETTER than her at the mental aspect of tennis.<br />Not just as good, better. Because they can think at the speed of today's game. <br />Martina has to adjust to how fast the game is today. I don't know she can do that. <br />Every tournament since February, she's lost to the first good player she's faced. <br />Not even ELITE players, just good ones on a good day.

It's like that 6-1, 6-1 victory over Venus at OZ brought on a curse. <br />The only top 10 player she's beaten since then was Nathalie at Dubai.*

Stuttgart   SF L Lindsay DAVENPORT       1-2 Retired  <br />Moscow      QF L Elena DEMENTIEVA        2-6 2-6   <br />U.S. Open   SF L Serena WILLIAMS         3-6 2-6   <br />Los Angeles SF L Monica SELES            3-6 6-1 4-6   <br />San Diego   SF L Monica SELES            3-6 4-6   <br />WB         128 L Virginia RUANO-PASCUAL  4-6 2-6   <br />RG          SF L Jennifer CAPRIATI       4-6 3-6   <br />Rome        SF L Amelie MAURESMO         4-6 6-7(5)   <br />Berlin      SF L Amelie MAURESMO         6-2 0-6 4-6   <br />Charleston  FR L Jennifer CAPRIATI       0-6 6-4 4-6<br />Amelia Isle QF L Arantxa SANCHEZ-VICARIO 2-6 4-6   <br />Miami       SF L Venus WILLIAMS          3-6 6-7(6)          <br />IW          SF L Kim CLIJSTERS           2-6 6-2 1-6   



*****<br />     <br />Dubai       FR W Nathalie TAUZIAT        6-4 6-4   <br />Doha        FR W no other top 10 players<br />Tokyo       FR L Lindsay DAVENPORT       7-6(4) 4-6 2-6   <br />OZ          FR L Jennifer CAPRIATI       4-6 3-6<br />OZ          SF W Venus WILLIAMS          6-1 6-1   <br />OZ          QF W Serena WILLIAMS         6-2 3-6 8-6<br />   <br />Sydney      FR W Lindsay DAVENPORT       6-3 4-6 7-5   

<br />* She beat Amelie at Charleston, but I believe Amelie was out of the top ten at that point. I could be wrong.

 

[joaco]

That's correct, Lindsay must stay healthy in order to keep Nº1 and win any grand slam

 

[Jakeev]

Not to be a downer but Martina will not return to the Number 1 spot playing the game she plays now.

The power players would have to either disappear or go into a major slump and I just doubt that is going to happen.

Moreover, more and more players outside of the top have figured Martina out.

What Martina needs to do now is just figure a way how to compete again.

 

[TSequoia01]

To be a better player Martina just needs to take more risks. Although I too believed returning to #1 will be difficult for her, it is important to the ladies' game for her to compete well. If she works on her serve, comes to net, and attack the lines more she definitely can compete.

 

[CB]

<font face="Arial" size="7" color="orange">OF COURSE SHE WILL!!!!!!!! GO MARTI!!!!!!</font><br /> <img src="graemlins/wavey.gif" border="0" alt="[Wavey]" /> <img src="graemlins/bounce.gif" border="0" alt="[Bounce]" /> <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0"> <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0">

 

[Adrian]

If Martina is 4 or 5 before the start of wimbledon, she will have a great chance, with nothing at wimbledon and a very light summer this year (due to injury). Taking she defends her post wimbledon points, she could easily add 1200 points without a sweat <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0">

 

[super_hingis]

martina has every chance of regaining no1 spot.She does not have many ranking points to play for she only won 3 tournaments if she changes her game a bit and attacks the big hitters,she can remain a major force as she is the best player out there.

go martina!

 

[disposablehero]

Even if she can up her game again, dropping out of the top 4 will hurt her Slam seedings, thus costing her rounds and points.

 

[joao]

it is not true to say that martina hasn't many points to defend . In fact, she has lots of points to defend because even though she won only 3 tournaments, she lost consistently in SF or finals! But now with a #4 ranking, her draw shouldn't be as easy ... so i think she will not return to the higher spot ... actually, i predict another drop if she doesn't change her strategy!

 

[setpoint]

No, I doubt that she will ever be #1 again, but she has a better chance of winning a grand slam than Anna Kournikova has of winning a tournament title.

 

[Martian KC]

Anything is possible! Go for it Martina!!!!! <img src="graemlins/kiss.gif" border="0" alt="[Kiss]" />

 

[Selestion]

Now that Anna is working Martina and her mon, I think Anna will be dynamic next season. I always thought Anna had more talent than Martina anyway. Anna has a little more pace than Martina in every facet of the game, so Anna should use that to her advantage.

But ultimately, Martina will not even stay in the top five. Besides Kim Clijsters, Monica Seles is coming like a freight train in the night--what a scary thought.

 

[deftman]

As long as she doesnt change her stratergy,things dont look bright to me.<br />Will she be No.1 again?<br />Definetily.She will always keep making the semifinals of tournaments and winning a few Tier I tournies.<br />Will she be the best player in the world,and be dominating like Venus was in 2000 and 2001?<br />No.Not unless she changes her style of play!

 

[SeReNa]

After the Australian open i expect Martina to fall to number 6 behind Serena and Kim. Wether this happens is up to Hingis but it will not help her confidence to be ranked that low. I can't see her crawling back to the number 1 quickly if that happens. It is possible however. Anybody could be number 1 next year. This time last year, who would have thought that Capriati would end the year at number 2?

 

[Dawn Marie]

I don't think she will do it next year, but she can do it anytime after that. It really depends on her imho. Will she be more concerned about playing 23 tourneys or is she gonna focus on her weaknesses? For the past 2 years she has been more concerned with the #1 than winning. If she were then she would have got her service game together by now. Also injury will play an important part in ALL players getting to #1 and Martina will be no exception. She is facing alot more power players, thus she is working her body more than ever, and she is not getting any younger. It really depends on Martina imho. Her game is good, but lacks pace.. Heck I can see her getting beat in rd. 1 of Wimby even in 2002. If she wins the French Open then she can be #1 again. Will be most interesting to find out. Imho I think she shouldn't even focus on the #1 spot but her game instead. I mean it has been 3 years since she has won a big slam.