Your view: Safina to slump

Eurosport - Fri, 17 Apr 10:56:00 2009

Eurosport-Yahoo! readers are not convinced that Dinara Safina can hang on to her world number one ranking for long, according to our latest poll.

Russia's Dinara Safina reacts to losing a point to Victoria Azarenka of Belarus at Indian Wells - 0

The Russian (pictured) replaced Serena Williams at the top of the rankings last week despite having never won a Grand Slam title.

We asked: Will Dinara Safina still be world number one at Wimbledon?

You said:

Yes: 23 per cent

No: 77 per cent

With 2,540 votes cast as of 08:00 British time on Thursday April 16.

Safina's rise to the top spot also sparked a massive debate amongst you as to whether her results over the last year were enough to merit the top ranking.

Williams won two Grand Slam titles and reached the final of another in the last 12 months, while Safina was beaten in her only two Grand Slam finals - including a heavy loss to the American at this year's Australian Open.

After losing the top ranking, Williams's attitude was one of ambivalence as she said: "It's like whatever. I don't really care. My whole goal in life isn't to be number one."

However, a lot of you had strong opinions on the matter; here is a selection of your comments.

Bali, Maha: I am happy for Safinahowever, I think Serena has a point how can someone who won two Grand Slams and been a finalist in another be lower ranked than someone who won lots of smaller tournaments and been a finalist in two Grand Slams? I realise Serena plays fewer tournaments but still: How is that? The men's ranking system seems to make a lot of sense, why is the women's so different?

Chrystal_rainbow: Everyone who reaches the number one spot deserves it. It means they have worked hard and gained the necessary points to be there.

Marswills: Only a Grand Slam winner should have the right to number one. Look at the fiasco of so called number ones like Jankovic at the Aussie open. Pathetic!

Honeybeecro7: I think even Dinara - who is a very honest person - wouldn't rate herself as the best that women's tennis has to offer. Men's tennis is a lot better and more interesting than the women's game at the moment. Shame that Serena was injured in Miami and Marbella.

Sanchez.santos: The WTA needs to revisit the system and offer more ranking points for Slams and Championships so that it does not become a laughing stock. I have never understood why Patty Schnyder was so highly ranked for so many years and this season Nadia Petrova has been ranked top ten when she has had a terribly poor season. Something is not quite right.

Igor K: Leave the girl alone! Obviously she has great quality and worked very hard to achieve this! Is it easy to be first in the world in anything? Safina had a really good year in 2008 so I think she deserved this.

Patchthetwat: The women's tour is like the economy; it's just getting worse and worse. Since Sharapova got injured the players have been in a constant flux of mediocrity. The return of Maria and Kim (Clijsters) should help the tour or at least inject it with a bit of competition because it is seriously lacking in that at the moment!

Adam a: Being world number one is about performing consistently, and winning Grand Slams is about talent and a bit of luck. It is a bit like assessing a student for the 'best student' and ''student of the year' awards. Serena probably was the top scorer in the 'final exam' but Dinara fared better throughout the semester.

Seán Fay / Eurosport

Comment 18 - 37 of 37

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  1. I don't understand this I've just looked at the­ rankings she's not number 1 now in either of the­ lists can someone explain it to me?

    From Ronsenglish, on Sat 18 Apr 2:10AM

  2. The No. 1 ranking gives non-GS winners tremendous­ pressure to face the media. People always ask the­ question "Do you deserve it? When will you win a­ GS". The same situation as Jankovic. The­ pressure caused her to do so badly at the start of 2009­ and her No. 1 ranking soon was overtaken. I think it­ will be the same for Safina. She can celebrate the No.­ 1 ranking for a short time and it costs her more in the­ long run. Once they fall, it's very hard to regain­ the No. 1 again, like Sharapova, Ivanovic.

    From Mike, on Fri 17 Apr 12:31PM

  3. I say new ranking system you are arguing that should be­ established, is ALREADY ESTABLISHED !! but it takes­ some time to get result of it’s use... points are to be­ defended, points from previous year.. Saffina had some­ great results and was pretty consistent in first half­ of 2008, unlike sisters Williams.., so yes, by ranking­ system, she deserves it.. Of course she is to drop..­ but not overtaken by Williams.. they will have to wait­ grass season at least to show their quality again. for­ me still she doesn’t have more quality then Williams,­ Zvonareva, JJ, Dementieva, on longer run !

    From Igor K, on Fri 17 Apr 8:56AM

  4. I think this is not just a direct negative impact on­ Safina, but, moreover on the tour as a whole. If Safina­ is number one without really impressing this year, then­ what does that say fr the rest of the players? This is­ further enhanced by the juxtaposition of the mens tour,­ which is first class for the last year. Let's just­ hope by the time the French Open comes round the top­ players are ready to impress, and not fal at the first­ hurdle like so many are doing at the moment!

    From patchthetwat, on Fri 17 Apr 12:58AM

  5. akpohenry is got balls alright, right on the money­ mate!

    From sanchez.santos, on Thu 16 Apr 10:48PM

  6. "safina TO slump"?
    "readers are not­ CONVINCED that dinara safina can hang on to her world­ number one ranking for long"?
    This article cracks­ me up!

    From Andrew Broad, on Thu 16 Apr 9:51PM

  7. attaha, does the name Lisicki ring a bell?

    From Phil, on Thu 16 Apr 7:41PM
  8. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    who is diminishing the efforts of Serena and Venus in ­ women tennis?. If you are white skin blue eyed economic­ saboteurs, no wonder you are a failure and they are­ success..
    At present who will be watching safina as­ world no 1. they don't entertain just like the­ russian government is a world spectator other than arms­ they sell.

    From Augustine A, on Thu 16 Apr 5:55PM

  9. Well done simone, just keep working hard and you will­ be like Vee.

    From sanchez.santos, on Thu 16 Apr 5:50PM

  10. Why are you putting the Williams sisters down, they are­ what is holding the WTA together. I believe VENUS­ should be the number one and so does my dad. I have met­ Venus at the John Evert academy she is CLASS!!!. VENUS­ WILL BE NUMBER ONE. SAFINA WILL STILL BE TOP 5

    From B, on Thu 16 Apr 5:34PM

  11. Mr adam: u got it totally wrong, grand slams is nt just­ bout talent and there is no such thing as luck. if u­ are a professional player u talented already. It is­ normal in every sports u see the so called wanabes­ performin well in small tournaments wen they get to the­ big ones they crumble, slams, majors, the big ones are­ meant for people who got balls. As a professional­ player thats wot u train for to win slams, majors, the­ big ones. Remember u only goin to be judged on the big­ ones, slams, majors. look at the legends of the sports­ bjorg, sampras, navratilova, jordan, schumacher, woods,­ etc they were only judged on the big occassion. bein­ world no1 is the added bonus.

    From akpohenry, on Thu 16 Apr 5:34PM

  12. Cranky mean-spirited english fans are justified in­ their nastiness.... most of them weren't alive the­ last time an English player won a grandslam. and now­ these clowns are picking on the WIlliam sisters­ who've done nothing BUT win the big­ ones??

    It's just this type of loser mentality that­ breeds the results you get.

    xoxo

    From jay, on Thu 16 Apr 5:22PM

  13. i agree with phil, if the sister act put as nuch effort­ into their tennis as their other activities maybe they­ would have won a lot more during their careers.

    From ajpbolton, on Thu 16 Apr 4:58PM

  14. Shout up and crawl back in2 the hole you came from­ Phil, u sound like a tit, lazy? the only person lazy­ here is phil

    From nechi, on Thu 16 Apr 4:08PM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    The WTA does not sanction the Grand Slams, so why are­ the points included in the WTA rankings list. They­ should not be counted towards a players yearly­ total.....and if that were the case, the Lazy @#$%­ Williams sisters would hardly show in the rankings.

    From Phil, on Thu 16 Apr 3:55PM

  16. 21, i totally agree with you, just look at the Ausie­ open final it was laughable, the stadium wasnt even­ full, the women where on court just over an hour, it­ was not a good advert considering it was the first slam­ of the year.

    From ajpbolton, on Thu 16 Apr 3:29PM
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    The womens' tennis is just a joke, promoting­ mediocrity. Any tom, @#$% and harry could just wake up­ one day and discover that she is ranked no. 1. its­ really a big shame for the fans. No quality whatsoever­ in the womens' game.

    From higoro40, on Thu 16 Apr 2:48PM
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Safina is a pretender to the throne.... an queen with­ no crown. much like Jelena before her, she's an­ over-hyped headcase who will never take the top prize. ­

    she's a lovely girl and a wonderful girl to have­ in the mix. but her as number one is embarrassing for­ the sport.

    From jay, on Thu 16 Apr 2:28PM

  19. GOOD LUCK TO DARLING DINARA SAFINA
    SHE FULLY DESERVES­ POSITION IN THE TOP 5

    NO 1 SPOT IS A POISONED­ CHALICE.,.,., NEVER BRINGS GOOD LUCK TO ANYONE
    just­ look at Ivanova ~~ Sharapova etc ,, etc ~~~~~~­ Lucky Dementieva Never bin there ....!

    From startoratora, on Thu 16 Apr 2:20PM

  20. I want a grand slam not no1, whats the benefit of been­ the No1 seed in the ranking and tournaments without­ winning JACK , i dont understand that philosophy, does­ anybody, if your No1 and your winning something then i­ can, but i like Safina, i just wish she can just up her­ game a little bit more, been the top seed adds pressure­ to her already fragile game and will not help in the­ long run, but good luck to her

    From nechi, on Thu 16 Apr 2:00PM
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