#SmashTalk: Has Wozniacki checked out?

It’s been a funny old week in the world of tennis. But despite the marquee events, there was plenty for the tennismash and ATM editorial team to ponder on in this week’s #SmashTalk. Do you agree with our experts? Have your say on Facebook and Twitter.

Jo Konta just won her first WTA title. Is she the real deal?
Viv Christie: Konta’s run to the Australian Open semifinals was attention-grabbing but with only one top win required (against world No.8 Venus Williams in the first round) it was hardly an overachievement. Recently, though, she’s beaten Roberta Vinci on clay and Petra Kvitova on grass; a certain freedom comes with a first title; a progressively-improving Konta becomes a far more dangerous force at the US Open.

Paul Moore: It depends what you mean by real deal. If being the real deal is being a bloody good player then yes she is. If being the real deal is a potential World No.1 then probably not. Sure, she’s had a stellar 2016, but it’ll be interesting to see how she backs that up in 2017 when she has the pressure of serious points to defend.

Matt Trollope: She certainly appears to be. For a sustained 12 months now Konta has been improving, winning, and rising. There’s a lot to like about her game – incredibly relentless, powerful and athletic – and her demeanour, which is measured and Zen-like, perfect for tennis. My only concern would be about her mental fragility when a match gets tight, but with a three-set victory in Stanford against a champion like Venus proving she can close out big matches, her confidence and belief can only benefit.

If Washington champ Gael Monfils can stay injury free for the next 12 months how far could he go?
VC: Anything is possible when it comes to Gael Monfils: he could rise spectacularly or plummet dramatically. Claim a Grand Slam title or lose first round at a Challenger. The only certainty is that it will be a wild and spectacular journey.

PM: A long time ago Gael Monfils was a Top 10 player (he reached No.7 in 2011). If he can stay injury free, there’s no reason to think that he cannot do that again. Could he crack the Top 5 or reach the finals of a Slam? He has the ability, but there are huge question marks over whether the body and mind can hold it together for long enough to do that.

MT: He might make the top 10. He might not. With Monfils, who would know? Sure, he’s shown signs of greater consistency and motivation this year – prior to getting injured in the clay court season he was one of the tour’s form players. But the Frenchman has too long a history of erratic performances and prioritising entertainment over winning basic tennis matches to convince me that we’re seeing a renewed, re-dedicated player.

With the field decimated by withdrawals, is there anything interesting about the Roger’s Cup this year?
VC: Lots. How does Novak Djokovic bounce back from his Wimbledon shock? Will Milos Raonic back up? Can David Goffin crack the top 10? And who among the women’s field will fill the void created by the absence of Serena Williams?

PM: On the women’s side, not really. On the men’s side, it will be interesting to see how Djokovic bounces back after his Wimbledon woes, and how Raonic deals with the added pressure of playing as a Grand Slam finalist.

MT: I think there are plenty. I’m very interested to see how Novak Djokovic will respond after his shock Wimbledon defeat – was it a mere blip, or the sign that his invincibility is starting to wane? I’ll also keenly follow how Raonic will continue on after his maiden Grand Slam final appearance at Wimbledon. Are there bigger things to come for him? Plus, who will step up in the women’s draw now that world No.1 Serena Williams has withdrawn? Lots of storylines to look forward to.

After a bumpy year and cameo appearance in Ballers, has Caroline Wozniacki checked out of professional tennis?
VC: That Caroline Wozniacki has checked out of tennis is an easy assumption, but it also overlooks the fact that the former No.1 has spent three months this season sidelined with an ankle injury. Why shouldn’t she experience some side projects during her recovery? Balanced players are the best variety.

PM: I guess the question is whether she’s checked out or is cashing in? It doesn’t ‘feel’ like she’s driving hard to break back into the Top 10 (she’s currently ranked No.53 in the world), but only Caro and her team really know whether that is true. That said, she seems to be doing an increasing amount of non-tennisy things these days…

MT: Possibly. But you could argue that she has never been focused on ultimate glory. She’s continually played a packed schedule chasing points and prize money rather than concentrating on peaking for the majors. She continues to operate under the controlling guidance of her father when a new voice could be just what she needs at this stage of her career. She persists with her grinding defensive game when time and time again it’s proven ineffective against aggressive players on the biggest stages. A player thirsting for glory would make the changes necessary to achieve it (see: Raonic, Kerber, and Henin back in the day). Caro just seems intent on humming along in her comfort zone.