Ranking the Top 10 Women's Players After the 2016 Australian Open
Angelique Kerber's stunning upset win over Serena Williams at the 2016 Australian Open may serve as a benchmark for what's to come this year on the WTA Tour.
Williams will continue to chase history while trying to avoid road blocks in the form of challengers pursuing their own dreams.
Kerber took advantage of an error-prone Williams who was clearly playing tentatively and less aggressively. Williams made 46 unforced errors to Kerber's 13. She also had six double faults, twice as many as Kerber.
The win elevates Kerber to No. 2 in the WTA Rankings on Monday. But where does she fall in our post-Australian Open powers rankings?
After dismissing two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka in straight sets in the quarterfinals and holding off a Williams comeback, Kerber has to be ranked above other Slam winners in the field. Maria Sharapova will drop outside of the top five on Monday. Simona Halep lost in the first round and Petra Kvitova was, well, typical Petra: predictably unpredictable.
Players are ranked based on their performance at the Australian Open, current ranking and the momentum going forward.
Some familiar names—Venus Williams, Caroline Wozniacki and Eugenie Bouchard—failed to make the cut. To see who did, check out the following top players post-Australian Open.
Honorable Mentions
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Johanna Konta and Ana Ivanovic earn honorable mentions. Konta reached the semifinals and fell just one match short of becoming the first British woman to reach the finals in 40 years.
The British No. 1 will rise 19 spots to No. 28. Still outside the top 20, Konta gets an honorable mention for the way she battled through this tournament. It's the second consecutive Grand Slam in which she reached the fourth round or better.
Although Ivanovic lost to Madison Keys in the fourth round, the Serbian will rise four spots and move back into the top 20.
10. Victoria Azarenka
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Victoria Azarenka entered the tournament as one of the favorites to win it all.
Azarenka had won Brisbane and looked untouchable in her matches leading up to the quarterfinal round with Kerber.
Against Kerber, Azarenka couldn't find an answer for the lefty's return game. After the match, Azarenka told reporters: "Mentally I didn't commit myself enough today. I didn't push myself into making a difference. I was too flat."
Azarenka will remain outside the top 10 in the WTA rankings. However, Azarenka's form hasn't looked this good since she challenged Williams for the No. 1 ranking two years ago.
9. Carla Suarez Navarro
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Carla Suarez Navarro is one of the most consistent players on the tour. She benefited from the many upsets in her quarter of the draw. However, Suarez Navarro still had to play through the field of "unknown" opponents.
In the fourth round, she overcame a rowdy Aussie crowd against local darling Daria Gavrilova. The young Australian took the first set 6-0 and was up in the second when Suarez Navarro mounted a comeback and took the final two sets, 6-3, 6-2.
What Suarez Navarro lacks in power, she makes up for in consistency.
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8. Petra Kvitova
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Her early exit at the Australian Open will see Kvitova drop to No. 9 in the WTA rankings. Despite her poor showing in Melbourne, Kvitova comes in at No. 8 because, when focused, she is still an elite two-time Grand Slam winner.
Following her exit, Kvitova fired David Kotyza, her coach of seven years. Predicting how Kvitova will perform going forward is like throwing dice. Last year, Madison Keys upset Kvitova in the third round of the Australian Open. By spring, Kvitova announced she was exhausted and needed to take time off.
She bounced back by destroying Serena Williams in the semifinals of the Madrid Open.
7. Belinda Bencic
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Belinda Bencic saw her Australian Open run end on an challenge call against Maria Sharapova. The talented teenager's growth as a player lands her at No. 7, above what will be a career-high WTA ranking at No. 11.
She makes on-court decisions with the clarity of a player well beyond her years. Her serve remains a weak link. But she can work on increasing pace. Her placement is impeccable. It's hard to believe she's only 18 years old.
6. Simona Halep
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Simona Halep's first-round loss was shocking until the player announced that she would undergo nose surgery to deal with a host of infections she's been battling.
Halep has decided to put off the surgery until after she plays Fed Cup. Either way, this means disruption to her season. That's why, despite being ranked No. 2 before the tournament and No. 3 after, Halep comes in at No. 6. Based on how she looked, even that ranking may be too generous.
5. Garbine Muguruza
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Garbine Muguruza struggled with injuries late in 2015. However, she came into this tournament appearing healthy.
So it's hard to explain her lackluster performance against Barbora Strycova in the third round. Strycova crushed Muguruza 6-3, 6-2. The third-seed's explanation to reporters? "I think today is a very bad day, you know, at the office.
4. Maria Sharapova
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Sharapova's inability to defeat Serena Williams doesn't negate the fact that she's been one of the most consistent big winners on tour over the past five years.
She will fall to No. 6 on the WTA Rankings, but outside of Serena Williams, Sharapova dominates most of her opponents.
3. Agnieszka Radwanska
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Agnieszka Radwanska came into 2016 having won the 2015 WTA Tour championship. Quick, tenacious and heady around the court, Radwanska has the type of game that will keep her in the top five for years. However, her lack of power and offense may keep her from winning a Grand Slam.
She should take a page from her pal Kerber's game-plan. Attack, defend and live to attack again.
2. Angelique Kerber
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Kerber's career has reached new heights. She will be the new No. 2 on Monday, a career high. She is now one of the few Grand Slam champions on the Tour.
Kerber has always been a tough player. But over the off season, she dropped some weight and worked on her mental aspects of the game. In her post-match interview, broadcast via ESPN, Kerber said she tried to remain positive throughout the match.
Staying positive helped earn her a new title that will follow her for a lifetime: Grand Slam champion!
1. Serena Williams
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Serena Williams retains her spot at No. 1 in the WTA Rankings and here too. Despite losing in the finals, Williams performed well for a player who had no leadup preparation going into the tournament.
She had not played an official match since her loss at the 2015 U.S. Open. The defeat was her first loss in a final at the Australian Open.
In her post-match interview, Williams praised Kerber as an inspiration to young players to never give up. She also told reporters that she gave it her best shot: "I mean, it's interesting. I mean, every time I walk in this room, everyone expects me to win every single match, every single day of my life. As much as I would like to be a robot, I'm not."
Still, Williams has lost two Grand Slam matches in which she got tight. That's something she'll have to figure out. Given her ability to bounce back, chances are she will.
She has to be No. 1. When playing her best, who is better?
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