#SmashTalk: what next for Andy, Petra and Maria?

The tennis world was abuzz on Tuesday with news of Maria Sharapova’s doping ban being reduced by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The #SmashTalk panel of Viv Christie, Paul Moore, Matt Trollope and Leigh Rogers ponders what lies ahead for the Russian star, who is now set to return to the game in late April 2017. They also consider whether Andy Murray will achieve the elusive No.1 ranking and if Petra Kvitova can maintain her rich vein of form.

Agree or disagree with the views presented? Have your say on Facebook and Twitter.

Will Andy Murray achieve his dream to be No.1?

VC: With a Wimbledon title and the Olympic gold medal this season, it hardly seems fair to suggest that Andy Murray is past his prime. Yet you sense that the 29-year-old Murray should have seized his opportunity by now. Novak Djokovic will of course dip eventually but I suggest that a younger player – like Milos Raonic – will be poised to step into the void that creates.

PM: Honestly? I don’t think so. Personally, I would love to see Andy Murray sit on the top of the world – even if just for a few weeks. But the simple fact is that Novak Djokovic is a better player. I think as long as the Serb is in the game and playing, he will always have the edge over the Scot. Given that there are no signs of that changing anytime soon, it’s hard to see a time when Andy will supplant him.

MT: So much is dependent on Novak Djokovic. Murray is the only other player on tour who rivals the Serb for consistency, which is the crucial ingredient for attaining the No.1 ranking – in addition to big results, of course. It’s why Stan can bob up and win three majors but never ascend higher than No.3 – he doesn’t have enough week-to-week consistency at the top level. After the Australian Open, Djokovic was almost 8,000 ranking points ahead of the second-ranked Murray. Now, the lead is less than 5,000 points. But it’s still an enormous gap. So much has to go right for Murray between now and the end of the year – and everything wrong for Djokovic – for Murray to ascend to the top. And I could easily see Novak returning later this year or early next year fresh and recharged and begin dominating again. So, I’m not sure Murray will do it.

LR: It is hard to see Murray reeling in Djokovic’s stranglehold on the position this season, especially if the Serb returns for the final Masters 1000 events (in Shanghai and Paris) and the ATP World Tour Finals. The Brit’s No.1 dream really depends on his long-time foe. The real question here is – just how bad is Djokovic’s injury and does he have the motivation to finish his season in the dominant fashion he did last year?

Will Petra Kvitova ever string together a run of strong performances?

VC: Recent history says no. But then, recent history also includes that stunning title run in Wuhan, where she defeated world No.1 Angelique Kerber in the longest match of her career and won the first 17 of 18 points as she crushed Dominika Cibulkova 6-1 6-1 in a 63-minute final. There’s hope such dominance could become more permanent for Petra, but a more likely reality is that arguably the most talented woman on tour will still experience baffling lapses.

PM: Petra Kvitova could be one of the most frustrating players in the world. She is outrageously talented, but horrifically inconsistent. I remember watching when she was a win or two away from the world No.1 and she blew it. If she could ever string together a season (or even a couple of months) of top form, then she certainly has the game to be the best in the world. However, if history is our judge, that isn’t likely to happen.

MT: Kvitova has been on tour for a decade now and, apart from 2011, has never shown any sign of consistent brilliance. She’s one of the most talented players out there, but I think we should – as she has already – accept that she will always be prone to ups and downs. One thing that could emerge from her stellar week in Wuhan, however, is a boost of confidence and a reminder that she is nearly unplayable when fit, healthy and motivated. I think she’d lost that belief a little, and it appears to have returned. Yet what that translates to is anyone’s guess ….

LR: It would be great to see – but unfortunately an unrealistic expectation, and even Petra knows it. During the US Open she told media “I will be very happy to say one day, ‘Okay, I’m going to play well tomorrow’, but I don’t think it will come”, when asked about her inconsistent game. Her form in recent months has improved though, and it certainly peaked in Wuhan last week, so perhaps being more accepting of her high-risk game is the secret to greater consistency for the Czech.

What next for Maria Sharapova? 

> MORE: Sharapova’s doping ban reduced

VC: There’s a synergy of sorts in the fact that clay will be where Sharapova makes her return in April. Once she labeled it her worst surface but Roland Garros became the only slam that she’s won twice, the second title coming after her recovery from a career-threatening shoulder injury. That victory showcased Maria as a far grittier competitor than she’d been previously credited: physically rested and undoubtedly motivated after her 15-month ban, I expect Sharapova to come back stronger than ever.

PM: Go and win Roland Garros. Maria’s reduced ban means that she should be back for the French Open. Given what she is saying (both in response to the verdict and more generally on social media), we have to assume that that will be her goal. We also have to assume she will get a wildcard into the event (they would be crazy not to give it to her). Should both those things come to fruition, she will arrive in Paris as perhaps the most prepared player of all time. It will be fascinating to see how the tennis world reacts if she goes on to win it…

MT: For the time being, it will be doing what she’s been doing – training hard and focusing on her return, which is now a lot closer than it was before. She’s incredibly keen to resume competing in the sport she loves, and has recovered well from lengthy absences before. What I’ll be most intrigued to see will be the reception she receives from fans and fellow players. Already an icy, less-than-popular figure, this whole ordeal won’t have helped anything there.

LR: This is the storyline that is going to dominate women’s tennis next year. Maria has used social media to prove she’s still training hard – so I have no doubt she can be a force again when she returns in April. Just how many WTA tournaments are going to be willing to offer her a wildcard though? To enter French Open and Wimbledon, she is definitely going to need a wildcard. There’s no doubt the former world No.1 will draw still crowds, but it will be interesting to see whether her brand has suffered as a consequence of her suspension. Just how quickly Sharapova can climb back up the ranks could, frustratingly for her, be out of her hands.