It was always going to create controversy.
The US Open went the opposite way to Roland Garros, handing Maria Sharapova a main draw wildcard at the year’s final Grand Slam event beginning 28 August.
Was it the right decision? The Tennismash team of Paul Moore, Vivienne Christie and Matt Trollope give their thoughts, as well as discussion of the men’s and women’s No.1 ranking and the stunning ascent of Alexander Zverev.
Agree or disagree with our panel? Have your say on Facebook and Twitter using #SmashTalk.
Moore: I’m torn on this one. On the one hand she has done ‘her time’, and managed to maintain her composure during some testing moments since her return. On the other, she wasn’t injured, nor did she retire or give birth. So citing her alongside other previous champions seems erroneous. If I had to jump off the fence I’d say they did the right thing in awarding her the wildcard, but it doesn’t sit entirely comfortably.
NEWS: Sharapova handed US Open wildcard
Christie: Let’s clarify – the US Open is smart in awarding Maria a wildcard. Already missing two very big names in Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka, the women’s field needs the star power. But it’s also important to remember that Maria has served her suspension. Given that she’s a former champ who’s found her comeback tougher than expected, the lack of a wildcard would have seemed an omission.
Trollope: I like to think the majors operate somewhat differently to the tour-level events in that they side-step the obvious commercial benefits of handing a superstar player like Sharapova a wildcard, and instead decline to reward players returning from a doping ban. Apparently not. Sharapova’s ranking would get her into qualifying; let’s see her slug it out on the back courts and earn her place. There’s no guarantee she would make it through anyway – her form and health have been patchy since her return. And it would be wildly entertaining to see a player of her stature gritting her way through the qualifying rounds. If she was to make it through? Kudos to her.
Moore: Sorry to say it, but I don’t think so. Of course, the rankings don’t lie. But the fact that Rafa is yet to win a title on any other surface than clay says to me he is not the player everyone else fears. That is Roger (despite his defeat in Montreal), and had he played more tournaments he would obviously be sitting at the pinnacle of the tennis tree.
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Christie: Yes. He has four titles (one of them a Grand Slam, two of them Masters 1000s) this year and three finals to show for it. The only other player, on current form, who may seem more credentialled is Roger Federer but he obviously hasn’t played enough tournaments. That the two superstars will most likely vie for top spot for the remainder of the season adds to a stunning narrative.
Trollope: Absolutely. He and Roger Federer are the only two players who have a legitimate claim to the throne in 2017, and Federer – although he’s won two major titles and a couple of Masters crowns – has perhaps played too sparsely to warrant the honour. Nadal has been consistent, and dominant in patches, throughout the year and thoroughly deserved the mantle. I await with real excitement the battle for year-end No.1 that could unfold between him and Roger as the season progresses.
Moore: There’s no doubt that the win was certainly a massive statement from the 20 year-old. And that he is able to mix it with those five players on the ATP is beyond doubt. But Zverev is yet to crack the Grand Slam code (he has not gone deeper than the fourth round at any major). Until he does that, and I think he will, there will always be question marks about him.
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Christie: With Djokovic and Wawrinka out for the rest of the season and Murray struggling with injury, the Big Five’s days were already numbered. But let’s not overlook how emphatically Alexander Zverev has flipped the story. Ten consecutive match wins, two titles and one very big scalp in Federer in the last two weeks alone highlight how the German, only recently turned 20, can completely change the established order.
Trollope: I think that question can only be asked when Djokovic, Murray and Wawrinka are back on tour competing regularly and physically fit. And when Zverev can transfer his stunning Masters-level form to the five-set environment of Grand Slam tennis. The 20-year-old is yet to clear the fourth round stage at a major event; let’s see him do that first before we begin forecasting the end of the Big Five.
Moore: Blimey, answering that is like closing your eyes and lobbing a dart at a board. Svitolina and Wozniacki are both looking the most accomplished players at the moment, and will perform well in the coming months. Pliskova looks shaky, and I think it might elude Halep this year. If I had to give you a name I would say Caroline Wozniacki, only because she knows what it takes to get there.
Christie: Elina Svitolina’s tour-leading five titles for 2017 suggest she’s credentialed to claim the year-end honour. The Ukrainian has recent wins over every higher-ranked opponent and seems especially comfortable on the hard courts that will feature for the rest of this season. An element that’s admittedly missing is a strong Slam run, with Svitolina yet to reach a major semifinal – but that not only means fewer points to defend but also highlights that at age 22, Svitolina still has plenty of room for improvement.
Trollope: This is tough to call! I’m going to go with Halep. I have a feeling Pliskova won’t hang on to the No.1 ranking – the pressure of defending such a hefty swag of points at Cincinnati and Flushing Meadows could be too much – and I feel Svitolina is still just a fraction too young and raw to take it – she has historically flopped at the Grand Slams. Halep has the right blend of experience, consistency and title-winning chops to take over at the top, and she’s been close to doing so since May.
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