Credible challengers increasingly hard to find in women's game
It is reasonable to assume that the status quo in men's tennis will be preserved this year – the grand slam titles will surely not go outwith the big four, although whether Rafael Nadal will play a prominent role must remain in doubt – but, by contrast, the women's game is wide open.
It is reasonable to assume that the status quo in men's tennis will be preserved this year – the grand slam titles will surely not go outwith the big four, although whether Rafael Nadal will play a prominent role must remain in doubt – but, by contrast, the women's game is wide open.
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Susan Egelstaff
Who will lay hands on the main titles is much harder to predict. The first grand slam event of the year, the Australian Open, may give some indication of how the next 12 months will shape up.
Serena Williams ended 2012 in imperious form, winning Wimbledon, Olympic gold and the US Open in the latter half of the year. At 31, she is far from over the hill but she's certainly closer to the end of her career than the beginning. Her age, though, is less of an issue than for some of her peers; her selectivity in planning which tournaments she plays over the past decade has ensured that she has not fallen into the trap of over-playing, as have so many of the other top women players. This has ensured that her mind and her body are healthier than rivals who are 10 years her junior.
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