Women's tennis missing great rivalries, says former star Davenport

SINGAPORE – American tennis superstar Serena Williams may have spent the past six months away from the court after taking time out for the birth of her first child, but the huge vacuum left on the women’s tennis tour has been strongly felt by fans and players alike.

While the former world No 1 is celebrated for her dominance  – she has won 39 Grand Slam titles in singles and doubles in her career – athleticism and power on court, WTA Finals Legend Ambassador Lindsay Davenport believes that the sport, and fans, are also yearning to see more compelling rivalries.

Davenport, a former world No 1 who won three Grand Slams and an Olympic gold, witnessed many riveting rivalries during her time as a professional – including her fierce rivalry with Venus Williams which saw them meeting 27 times (Venus Williams 14 Davenport 13). But fans have been left wanting in recent times.

“I look forward to seeing one (rivalry) develop in 2018, whoever that may be. It might be the return of Serena and it might be some of these players who have gotten better this year," said Davenport, who was in town for this week's BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore.  .

"Maybe Garbine Muguruza and Serena, maybe Simona Halep and Serena, maybe Maria Sharapova who’s back with a vengeance and better in 2018.

“That’s what’s always driven this sport of tennis for last 20 or 30 years. Everybody can say Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert, it hasn’t seemed like we had a great one in women’s tennis the last few years.

“If Maria had won more against Serena maybe, but we’ll get back to that. A lot of times in rivalries, what really helps is a difference in personalities, a difference in playing styles, whether some who comes to the net, power, or retriever, we have the opportunity, we need the players playing more often healthy, and that has really plagued the women’s tour in the last few years.”

Serena Williams’ absence has also revealed a dearth of tennis players ready to take over the superstar’s mantle. Since May 2017, the world No 1 spot has changed hands quickly, with four players – Angelique Kerber, Karolina Pliskova, Garbine Muguruza, Simona Halep – claiming and relinquishing the top spot.

Davenport would like to see that change.

"It’s a weird year, Serena kind of threw everyone for a loop after she won a Grand Slam," she said. “It was interesting to see how not one player alone could step up to dominate. You see flashes of brilliance from a lot of players but not consistent brilliance from one player. Not one player was confident or comfortable enough each week to play their best tennis.

"I hope that changes next year, I hope there’s a player who’s No 1 in the world that’s won five titles, majors and really separates themselves from the pack as the leader of women’s tennis.”

As an American, and coach of rising young player Madison Keys, Davenport is hopeful that her countrywomen will be able to step up to the plate, particularly after a historic run at last month’s US Open that saw four American players – Keys, Sloane Stephens, Coco Wandeweghe and Venus Williams – qualifying for the Grand Slam.

She added: “I think American women’s tennis is in a better spot than it was five years ago, 10 years ago. Madison got to the top 10 in 2016, first time a US player debuted in the top 10 since 1999.

“I hope that (the US Open) inspires them to continue to try and achieve great things, because the level that we saw from Sloane, Madison until the final, Coco, the matches were great and I hope those three continue to push each other, get along well like they do, continue to march towards the top.”

For Davenport, competing against some of the greatest players of all time – Steffi Graf, the Williams sisters, Justine Henin – was an experience that she feared then, but relishes now as a former player. 

She added, with a laugh: “I was so fortunate when I played, I got to play so many of the greatest players of all time.

“Venus was amazing, I first played her in 1997 and I remember thinking she plays a similar style to me, she serves the ball hard and she is 10 times the athlete I am, I think I’m in trouble here. I played her sister and knew I was in even bigger trouble.

“They’re remarkable, you run out of superlatives to say about both of them. They’re tremendous leaders not only for athletes, but for women all around the world. I’m the biggest fan of both of them. It stopped me from winning more Grand Slams, it just forced everybody in that generation to get better, to train harder off court, try and get little bit better handling power. It definitely forced me to train, become a little bit quicker, stronger, more explosive.”

Like many tennis fans, Davenport cannot wait to see Serena and Venus – who are now 36 and 37 respectively – back in action together. “I love it that this generation (of players) don’t show any signs of wanting to walk away. Venus and Serena don’t want to walk away.

“I love that Serena had a baby and still wants to come back and play. I think it’s really inspiring, they have the ability to change lives, and not everybody has that ability.”